Diablo Two: Reality To Nightmare
by Maury Hime
Summary: All right, all right. So it took me a year...but the Epilogue is up. w00t Suggustions are welcomed, flames are not. Seven Teens are stuck in the D2 world...New monsters arise to add to the twists of the game. Love, hate, and war all come to play. R&R!
1. The Adventure Begins!

Chapter One

By Hdogg

The Adventure Begins

~*~*~

            "Maureen! I'm going to kill you!" Raged Allison Miko, trying to kill her young, best friend, Maureen Wolfe. The two girls were located in Aly's house somewhere in southwestern Illinois.

            Running for her life, Maureen called back behind her, sputtering on her somewhat long dark brown hair, "Why me?! Ick…Why did I have to touch your game?"

            "Because you're a baka!!" Screamed Aly, running around like a mad woman with a frying pan in one hand. BAM! Maureen collided with a wall of Aly's house. Mo slid on down the wall with a surprised look. Aly whacked the collapsed dark haired girl on the head with her frying pan. "See, told ya you're a baka, Mo."

            "Whoa…when's dinner?" Mumbled the rather ditzy Mo. Aly rolled her eyes and went back to her game, Diablo Two: Lord of Destruction. The dark haired girl snickered evilly and chopped demons apart in the game.

            "Die, you bastard! Take that you scoundrel!" Yelled Aly as she attacked zombies with her Amazon in the nightmare mode of the game. Mo was still sitting next to the wall in a daze. 

            Mo's blue/silver cell phone suddenly rang. Coming back to reality the ditzy dark haired girl answered it, "Yo! This is Mo! Where's the food?!"

            "Hmm…Did Aly try to kill you again?" Asked Daniel Ale from Delaware. A tall young man with a brilliant mind on his shoulders. He was born to be a leader.

            "Uh-huh, how'd ya guess?" Asked Mo wondering how Dan always knew these things. She twiddled with her light brown hair, trilling it around her fingerer. 

            "Oh, I have my ways." Said Daniel. If Mo could have seen him, she would have seen a mischievous smile on his face. "By the way, how's that Sorceress coming along?"

            "Excellent. Level 28. Aly's Amazon is only Level 27." Replied the short baka, still sitting on the ground next to the wall she had crashed into.

            Aly whooped in joy and said, "Correction, level 28 and I just found a SOJ!"

            Maureen glared at her fourteen year old friend, "You are so evil!"

            "Who? Me?" Asked Daniel listening to a one sided conversation of Mo yelling at Aly.

            "No! Aly!" Replied Mo, glaring at the happy friend.

            "Hmm…well, me, Larry, and Dru want to play with you guys in Diablo." Said Daniel. Mo heard the clicks of Dan's computer. "Hehehehe. DIE YOU STUPID THING!"

            Mo smiled. Dan was always playing Diablo Two and shouting stuff like that when they talked on the phone. "Sure! Let me get my laptop, if I can find it... I'll call Stuart and Jenny too." Mo replied happily.

            "You lost your laptop?" Asked Danny. He heard a loud crash and some yelling. "Mo…What'd ya do?"

            "Silence, ignorant one!" Said Mo glaring at Aly who was snickering evilly.

            "Who? Me?" Asked Danny, confused.  
            Mo laughed. "Naw, not you. The Amazon here hid my laptop."

            "Did you find it?" Dan heard evil snickering that could only had come from Mo. "Uh-oh…" A loud bang accompanied by yelling was all he could here.

            "Teehehe, yup! See ya in the chat room 555, k?" Mo said cheerfully.

            "Okay…" Dan hung up his phone as did Mo. She dialed her other best friend's phone number.

The phone rang for a few times then a voice answered, "Hey, this is Jenny."

            "Hiya!" Said Mo with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Wanna play Diablo Two with Me, Aly, Stuy, Danny, Larry, and Dru?"         

            "Uhh…sure. Meet in the usual place, 555?"   Said Jenny.

            "Yup! Yup!" Said Mo. "See you there, I gotta call Stuy!"

            "See ya." Said Jenny as she hung up her phone. Mo set up her laptop on a table near Aly. 

            "Okay, all I got to do is call Stuy and we're set." Said Mo, dialing Stuart Derhund's number.

            "Uh-huh." Was all that Aly said as she chopped off some poor guy's head, blood was spraying everywhere on the screen in the game. She quickly whacked Mo in the head. 

            "OUCH!" She cried out. "Think you can be a little more cleaner with your kills?" Asked Mo with a shudder as she looked at the computer screen. She was really happy that wasn't her in that game being slaughtered.

            "Uh, no." She replied simply. 

            '_Dangerous Woman Person…'._ Thought Mo. She shook her head as Stuart picked up the phone. 

            "Hello, this is the Derhund house hold. How may I help you?" He asked with a slight English accent. 

            Mo answered mischievously in an English accent, "Hello there ol' chap. It's me, Mo. What are you up to?"

            "You really get on my nerves, girl." Said Stuart. "And I'm playing Diablo two."

            "That's bloody brilliant, me ol' chap!" Mo snapped out of the accent, "That's why I called ya. Me, Aly, Jenny, Larry, Danny, and Dru are gonna play Diablo two and we're meeting in channel 555, like always. See you there?"

            "Ah, yes, The Gang. Yes, Yes. I'll be there. Good day, ol' girl." Said Stuart as he hung up.

            "Ah, now its my turn to play." Mo clicked on the diablo two icon and the program started to run. It seemed like an eternity to Mo before the game reached the sign on screen Mo typed in Hdogg and her pass. "Hmmm…which char to use." Mo's eyes kept wandering to her sorceress for some odd reason. "Okay, guess I'm gonna use my sorceress." She shrugged with a mischievous smile on her face.

            After Mo got on to battle.net she typed in /channel 555 in the message box and said, "Onward to victory!" She yelled this often when she played Diablo Two. Mo received a funny from Aly. "What?" Aly just shook her head and went back to killing things.

            In the chatting channel, Dru was on his screen name, DruTheDude a druid, Aly was on her Amazon, Miko, Stuart was on GeneralNerd a necromancer, Larry was on his barbarian MuscleManLarry, Jenny was on her assassin, KillerJen, Daniel was on his paladin, DanielTheHoly, and Mo was on her sorceress, MoTheMischievous. 

            DanielTheHoly was yelling at MuscleManLarry again, "You arrogant bastard! That was my armor! How dare you steal it from me!!"

            "It was up for free grabs, dude. Chill out." Said MuscleManLarry.

            "You boys are such a weird race." Said KillerJen.

            "I completely agree." Said Miko.

            Mo typed /me (action) cries, in the message box.

            "Now look what you did! You made Mo cry!" Said DanielTheHoly.

            "I did not!" Yelled MuscleManLarry.

            While the two boys got in a /me fight in the channel, DruTheDude asked, "Hey, Mo, what's wrong?"           

            "Nobody said Hi to me!" Wailed MoTheMischievous. 

            DruTheDude, Miko, and KillerJen all made little -_-;; faces. 

            GeneralNerd said, "You are to weird, my friend Mo. Way to weird."

            While all this was taking place, Mo was checking on the profiles on her friends again. They Read:

Name: DruTheDude

Gender: Male

Age: 16

Location: No where to be found

Profile: GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE YOU @$$HOLES!

----

Name: DanielTheHoly

Gender: Male

Age: 13

Location: Moon

Profile: I am holy. I am the leader. All shall follow me.

----

Name: KillerJen

Gender: Female

Age: 14

Location: Classified Information

Profile: N/A 

----

Name: GeneralNerd

Gender: Male

Age: 13

Location: In front of my computer

Profile: From England. Live in USA now. Lots of friends. 'Nuff said. 

----

Name: MuscleManLarry

Gender: Male

Age: 13

Location: Lut Gholein

Profile: Strong, Tall, and Handsome

----

Name: Miko

Gender: Female

Age: 14

Location: My bed

Profile: Fireball! Die! MWHAHAH!

----

            Mo decided to update her profile, it went like this:

Name: MoTheMischievous

Gender: Female

Age: 13

Location: The Kitchen, where else?

Profile: Food? Did you say Food?! WHERE?!

----

            Finally, GeneralNerd said, "Come on dudes, let's play a game. You two can kill each there."

            "That's the first sensible idea I've heard all day." Said KillerJen.

            "I Make!" Said MoTheMischievous.

            "Oh no…what wacky name is she gonna pick today…" Whispered KillerJen to Miko.

            "I have no idea." Miko wisphered back.

            "The name is, Miko/Sorc."

            "It's actually sensible…" Said Miko.

            "Yeah! Let's play!" Said DruTheDude.

~*~*~

            The gang joined the game one by one but when someone joined the game a large bang accompanied by a blinding bright blue light flashed though out all the rooms of the their house. Each and every one of the friends was dragged into the game. The bloody game of Diablo. What will happen to our warriors? Will they die? Or will they triumph over evil? Only time will tell. 

~*~*~

Note: Okay! Hey, Time to fix this story to perfection! In a sense. I just renamed it too from Diablo Two: It Wasn't Just a Game, It Was Real to Diablo Two: Reality to Nightmare. I need to change the title cause like everyone had a similar title and I want my real life story to be unique, set aside from the rest of the real life Diablo two stories. No offense meant to anyone too.

Disclaimer: I OWN NADA FORM THIS STORY BUT ME and MY CD PLAYER! And a couple of the ideas and a few of the characters. ^_~

ONWARD TO VICTORY!


	2. Arrivial of the Comrades, Told by Daniel...

Chapter Two

By Hdogg

Arrival of the Comrades

Story told by Daniel Ale

~*~*~

            '_Where am I? I sure am not in Delaware any more. That's for sure…'_ I thought as I wandered around in the dark. '_There's a large bon fire up ahead._ _Might as well head there. Why am I talking to myself…'_

            "AHHHH!!!! SAVE ME!!!" Screeched a voice from above me. 

            "Gee that sure sounds familiar…Wonder who it is?" I said to myself as I looked up to see a girl falling towards me. She was frantically waving her arms around hoping to catch to break her fall.

            "AHHH!!! SOMEONE CATCH ME!!!" She screamed. "EEEEEEEEEEE!"

            "Oh shit…" I said at loud. "Here she comes…" I stood ready with my arms out ready to catch her. She was screaming quite loudly, when I caught her, real easily. When she finally stopped screaming in my ear she decided to yell at me. _'Ugh…what a person…'_

            "PUT ME DOWN!" She demanded. She glared at me. Her blue-green eyes glittered with anger. "What do you think you were doing?"

            "Umm…saving you?" I said, looking at her strangely. Her voice was familiar but who was she?

            "Whatever." She said as she walked over to the campfire. 

            '_Hmmm…how strange that one is, but she's still cool._' I thought for a moment more._ '…Please say that wasn't Mo…' _ I followed her. I saw Larry Sage sitting by the fire all ready with a dark haired young man. "Hey you, where are we?"

            Larry shrugged and smiled. "Hey, meet Dru Berry. DruTheDude on the net as we know him." He slapped Dru's shoulder, knocking him around a bit.

            Dru looked at me to answer his question, "Don't know." His somewhat long wavy dark brown covered his eyes. I couldn't must of  his face either because of the fire light. An eerily shadow covered his face as if it were hiding something. 

            Mo, or at least I thought it was her, was sitting by the fire all steamed up. I made sure that I was well away from her. I looked around and saw Stuart Derhund walking up. I could have recognized him any where from the picture he sent me. He was dressed the way he was in the picture. He was wearing the weirdest clothes I've ever seen and probably will ever see, a green and red plaid shirt, with a blue blow tie, and beige dress pants. It was freaky…Real freaky…

            He tripped over a log and said in his English accent, "Ouch! Good day chaps. Where in the world are we?" He stumbled up and brushed off his clothes. That was definitely Stuart Derhund, I'd recognized his voice anywhere.

            Just then we all heard a scream and a girl came flying, and I literally mean flying, though the camp. "Ahhh!!! Where are the breaks??!!" She slammed into another girl who had black hair. She was walking over with a book in her hand. They were soon both on the ground swearing at each other for not looking where the other one was going. Though all of this, Mo was laying down staring at the stars up above, thinking I supposed but you never really knew what went on in that girls head. She was brilliant times than at others she was a complete and total ditz.

            Coming from the east a strange old woman in an old purple cloak came walking towards us. I stood up in defense. Larry just sat there, staring at her, while Stuart and Dru were trying to pull the other two girls apart, who were now strangling each other. I shook my head. What craziness went on here. But I didn't know how crazy it was going to get this day.

            The old lady waved a hand at me to sit down and said, "Greetings, travelers. It is good to see you in these dark, troubled times.

            I am Akara, High priestess of the Sisterhood order of the Sightless Eye. Praise the Eye!" She waved her hands around violently above her head in a circular motion. The fire blazed upward toward the sky in a blue blaze. "Evil has plagued our land. We are in need of warriors. Will you help us concur this evil?"

            All of us sat there giving her blank stares. The fire had died down and was back to its normal color of yellow, red, and orange. "Oh noble warriors we need your help! Please help us!" She pleaded. 

Her plead broke me. I was a softly for those in need. I knelt down like a knight out of a medieval story and said to her, "I will, help you any way I can, Miss Akara." 

"Thank you noble knight." She said smiling at me. Her soft, old eyes showed relief in my decision. 

Surprisingly, Mo came and stood next to me and said, "I will help fight to, but please tell us, where are we?"

"You are in the Rouge Camp." She said simply. We all sat there with our mouths hanging open. I noticed the two girls had stopped fighting. I know one of them was Aly and the other was Jenny but I wasn't who was who. 

            "Uh-huh, that's nice." Said one of the girls reading her book. She flipped a page and smiled at something funny in her book. The rest of the crew started screaming except for Mo and me. They seemed positively freaked that we were sucked into a game. I was to but I didn't feel like screaming at the moment.

            "Oh hush up you babies, it's just a game." Mo said, shaking her head at the others. Though confidence and surety filled her voice, her eyes showed fear.

            "It's not a game any more, its reality." Said Dru, holding up his hand to show that he had cut himself on his knife. There was a gash from his middle finger to his wrist that was dripping blood out freely. The girl that wasn't reading the book fainted though I doubt it was from the sight of the blood but from the reality that droned on us. We stuck in this game. Larry sat there like a dumb monkey and Stuart was looking for something to bandage the cut with. 

            Mo was dumbstruck, but I said to the group, "Are you going to help Miss Akara or sit there like cowards?" Though I knew my friends certainly were not cowards by any standards. Not even Stuart how was practically scared of everything but when one of his friends lives was threatened he fought like a mad man. He was a berserker almost.

            "Uh-huh, whatever ya say, dude. I'll help. I always do…" Mumbled the other girl as she flipped a page. Aly had recovered from her bout of faintness and said nothing. She just stared expressionlessly into the flame. 

            "I will help." Said Stuart as he used part of his shirt to bandage Dru's hand. Soon Dru's hand was covered with the plaid shirt. "That'll help ya. Just keep it on and it'll be fine. Good thing it wasn't deep, you know ol' chap. Just a deep enough to break the skin and bleed a little." 

            "Good, anyone else?" I said looking around the crew. Most of the faces were filled with uncertainly and fear. Not in fear of the game but a fear that they'd never be able to go home.

            Dru said quietly, "I will help too." He stood up and walked over to where I stood.

            "And I." Said the girl that had fainted with a slight nod of her head. She also walked over to where I stood.

            "Larry? Will you?" I said looking at my muscular friend. 

            He looked at his hands then at me. "Sure but when do we eat next?" He said. I sighed; he'll never change always thinking of his stomach first. Though he was handy to have around. All ready at his age of thirteen he was as strong as a full grown man.

            We stood in silence for a moment until Mo spoke up finally, "Hey Killer J you gonna help us or are you going to read all day?" So, Jenny was the one reading the book. That meant Aly was the one who was standing right behind me…

            Jenny slipped her book into her pocket and said, "Count me in. I need a break from reality. This should be a real adventure." She looked at Mo, with a slight smile on her face. "And besides, I ready said I would if you were listening." Mo laughed and smiled. Jenny shook her head and her smile grew wider. Aly gave them a queer look as they walked over. Mo smiled a kooky smile and the trio all cracked up laughing. I shook my head. I would never understand what went through their heads.

            I turned to Akara and said, "We'll do it, Miss Akara. We'll help you and your friends." 

            "Thank you noble knight." Said Miss Akara as she bowed to me. I bowed to her. "Now, I will tell you what you are to be for these quests I shall put you though." The sudden thought struck me. We were to do the quests of the game of Diablo.

            She put her hand on my shoulder and said, "You shall be the leader. Fearless and noble, healer of the companions, a Paladin." She handed me a shield and short sword.                                                       I smiled. I loved swords. I actually had a collection at my house. I sighed. I was all ready homesick but I wouldn't let it show to the others. I had to be strong to be their leader and worthy of the position. Noble and true.

            She went to Mo next and smiled. "Young sorceress, your magic powers have only just begun to blossom." She handed her a short staff. Mo gave her a funny looked and just smiled and nodded. She had a tendency to do that when she was uncertain of things or just to get people to go away and leave her alone.

            She went to Larry who was standing right behind Mo, "You young sir, are the Barbarian. A strong mighty warrior with the love of food and one that will protect his friends at all costs." She handed him a club and shield. Larry smiled at her. He waved his club around in his powerful hand and let out a mighty roar.

            She went to Dru how stood next to Jenny, "Young noble one," She smiled at him. "Are a druid. Shift and diligent but influential and powerful. A protector of the wilderness and a great risk taker to save one in need." She looked at Jenny. Dru gave a queer look. She handed him a short sword and shield and moved to the next person.

            She knelt down to Stuart, who still sat on the ground. "Young necromancer…" Stu looked at her. "Are you ready for this?"

            Stuart looked at his hands then nodded. He looked up into her eyes. Determination was scattered through his eyes and face. "Yes. Yes I am. I want to help my friends and protect them." She smiled and handed him a wand and a shield.

            She went to Jenny and Aly next, "I see you too are quite good friends. You," She pointed to Aly, "Young lady, are an Amazon. Strong and dangerous but also loving and caring." She handed Aly a bow and arrows and a spear then she turned to Jenny, "And you are an Assassin. Master of Martial Arts. Skillful in the ways of traps." She handed Jenny a katar and shield. 

            She backed away and looked at us all. Pausing at each of us to look into our eyes. A renewed sense of calm came over us. "You seven are the chosen. Saviors from another world that will save this one. I wish you luck on your quests." She bowed to us and left us saying, "Once you have completed these quests I set upon you, I will lead you in the right direction back to your homes in the distant sky." She looked up to the sky s did all of us. Once we stopped star gazing, Miss Akara had all ready left.

            Mo sighed and looked at her staff. "Well…this is gonna interesting…but I wish I was home. I have a soccer tournament this weekend and I still need to finish chapter five of my fantasy story…" She sat down and looked at the fire. Her hands rested on her knees. She sighed.

            "Oh relax, twit. I'm sure that time has like stopped in our world." Said Aly, shrugging and sitting next to Mo.

            "Hmm…Perhaps." I said, looking around the camp. It was starting to get light out. "Let's go look around, shall we?"

            "YEAH! Let's go, I'm hungry!" Said Larry waving his club around like the barbarian he was. We stared at him in blankly.

            Stuart was looking around and said, "Hey, where's Dru?" That's when it finally hit us that Dru was gone.

            "Hey, ya, where is Dru? I haven't seen him since Akara gave him his sword." Said Jenny worriedly. She looked around the camp. Dawns light creped slowly throughout the camp. The rouges were starting to emerge from their tents while the night watch went to bed.

            "He's been straggly quiet to lately." Aly quietly added. We headed north though the camp to look for Dru.

~*~*~ 

            Will our warriors find their comrade? Or will they never see him again? Only fate can say or the next chapter. 

ONWARD TO VICTORY! 

~*~*~

Author Note: Twiddlement of the story time! Teehehehe! I hope you like this thing! It's taking me forever to write it so far and I love this story! 


	3. A Run Though The Moor, Told by Dru Berry

Chapter Three

By Hdogg

A Run Though The Moor

Story told by Dru Berry

~*~*~

            '_I'm the druid…But why? Why am I even here? What could I possibly do to help these people? Why would they want me?' _Those thoughts ranged in my mind. I had left my friends and went looking around the camp. It wasn't very big but there weren't very many people either. I fiddled with the sword in my hand. I was still unsure of Akara's decision. I was no hero.

            "Greetings Stranger!" Ranged a deep voice from behind me. I turned around and faced the man. His dark hair blew gently in the slight wind. 

            "Hello, sir." I replied, eyeing the man. He was wearing blue robes, as those of a merchants. 

            "I'm not surprised to see your kind here. Many adventurers have traveled this way since the recent troubles began.

            "No doubt you've heard about the tragedy that befell the town of Tristrom. Some say that Diablo the Lord of Terror, walks the worlds again."

            "Diablo? But I thought he was just a myth." I replied in an awed voice. Actually I thought it was just a game but I didn't say that. For in fear, the man may take me as crazy and call someone to haul me out of the camp.

            "I don't know if I believe that he's back but a dark wanderer did travel this route a few weeks ago. He was heading east to the mountain pass guarded by the Rouge Monastery." He continued looking off towards the east. His dark eyes filled with terror and hatred. "Maybe its nothing but evil seems to have trailed in his wake." His voice was a mere harsh wisphered filled with anger. His fist clenched and unclenched.

            "Really?" I said listening intently to him. 

            The man looked at me then to the east. "You see, shortly after the wanderer went though the Monastery's Gates to the pass, they were closed. Strange and horrible creatures began roaming the countryside." He said, now looking me over. "Until its safe outside the camp, me and my caravan shall stay here. If you're still alive by then I'll take you along with me to the east.

            You should also talk to Akara. She seems to the leader of this camp. Maybe she can give you more information about this awful situation."

            "Thank you, sir." I said with a slight nod of my head at him.

            "May the gods be with you in your travels. So long warrior, I do hope we get to meet again. My name is Warriv by the way, remember that." Warriv said, extending his hand.

            I nodded. "And I will remember that, merchant." I said, shaking his hand. 

            It was about noon when I had finally had stopped talking to this sinister man named, Gheed. My friends were nowhere to be seen. I went back to the place where we all met but they were gone.

            "Huh, that's strange… Wonder where they may be…" I mumbled to myself. I walked around some more for some time until I met the blacksmith, Charsi. She was a bit hyper but nice. She actually reminded me of Mo which was scary in a way. Hyper and a hard worker…

            "Hey there! I'm Charsi the blacksmith. It's good to see strong warriors here. Many of our sisters have been corrupted by the evil of Andirial…we're in need of a few strong warriors like you. If you need weapons or armor repaired. I'll repair it for you. I also sell armor and weapons." She said real fast. I just stood there and nodded. "Well, I got to get back to work. See you around!" She went back to hammering on her anvil.

            "Yes, see you around." I said leaving as quick as possible without seeming to run. "Okay…that was interesting but now I need to find my friends. Where ever could they may be…" I mumbled to myself.

            About two hours later, I finally got the idea to look outside the camp. I saw a group fighting something far off. I ran out to see who they were.

            Then I noticed something walking behind me. I turned around slowly and saw a groaning zombie right behind me. "Oh, its my lucky day…" I mumbled to myself, sarcastically. I swung hard at the rotting corpse of a zombie and chopped it right in half at the waist. Green, rotting blood began oozing from the corpse. Then I noticed that a small red vial on the ground. 

            "I wonder if this is a health potion…" I stuffed it on my belt and looked around. The group was out of sight whoever they were. I wandered around some more, looking around carefully for my friends. "Well, this is getting me no where." I grumbled to myself. A bit mad that I had let them out of my sight.

            "Graahhh!" Screamed a demented red creature waving a club and torch at me.

            "Ahhh!" Was my reply as I whacked its club out of its hand. The creature glared at me. Then it smiled wickedly. It swung low with the torch and burned me in the leg. 

            "Owe! GOSH DANG IT! YOU STUPID BEAST!" I screamed at the creature as I chopped off its head. "Evil little demon…" Then all of sudden a whole horde of little red things charged at me! "OH FOR PETES SAKE!!" I ran like heck to the direction of the camp or what I thought was the direction of the camp. I looked behind me. The little demons were after me! I stumbled over a rock and ran straight into a forsaken building. I stumbled back for a moment holding my head. Seeing the red demons, I quickly ran inside, I grabbed the bed and propped it front of the doorway for a barrier. I made sure I had my sword out. I glanced it and cringed. Crimson blood was dripping down off my blade and onto my hand. Disgusted, I wiped my blade on the bed.

            Then the little red demons attacked. "Graahhh!" Screamed the fiends as they attacked the house. Swing, chop, slice, whack! Was all I could do to stay alive but they kept coming back. 

            "SOMEONE HELP ME!! IS THIS NEVER GOING TO END!!" I screamed as loud as I could. Then some of the red things backed off for some reason. 

            "Rahhh!!" Yelled, a person that  I thought was Larry. "Die!!" 

            "Fireball!" Yelled someone. The blazing red fireball came zooming right into the house at an amazing speed.

            "Ahhh!!" I shouted dashing out of the house as fast as I could. The fireball exploded, sending the roof flying off the top of it. Burning patches of the straw roof were scattered on the demons as they tried to run off.

            "Whoops. I got to work on my aim some more." Said Mo, bashing things in the head with her staff. "Teehehe! This is fun!"

            "Yeah, I'd say so, Mo…You could seriously hurt someone if ya don't watch where you're aiming those fireballs…" Said Daniel chopping things in half with his short sword. Larry was buried under a lot of little demon corpses that he had tripped over. 

            "I'm gonna die! Get me out of here!" He yelled failing around in pile of dead bodies. Mo was cracking up at the sight and Daniel just rolled his eyes.

            "Your such an idiot, Larry." I told Larry. "They're dead can't you tell?"

            "They are?" Replied a baffled Larry. He picked one up and looked at it. "Oooo…"

            "Uhh…yes…" Said Mo, shaking her head and laughing like a mad woman. "HAHAHAHA!" 

            "Oh, okay." Larry shrugging as he replied. He threw the bodies off him. "Guess I'm not thinking straight today or something. Maybe Mo's ditziness rubbed off on me…" He mumbled, routing though the corpses for treasures. 

            I stood there looking at him thinking,_ 'I'll never understand the big lump. One moment he's a ditz…the next he acts like a scholar…It's so weird…'_ I shook my head and looked towards the north. 

            "So, where are Stuart, Aly and Jen?" I asked looking around and only seeing Dan and Mo. Larry was still routing for treasures.

            "Looking for you." Replied Dan. "Where have you been?" He glared at me.

            "Hmm…well, first I talked to this really nice but weird man named Warriv. Then I talked to this greedy man named Gheed. Stay away from him. He sounds dangerous. Then I talked to the blacksmith, Charsi. After that I left the camp and chopped up a few things. No idea what they were. Found a red vial of something. Ran into the red demons then into you." I said probably not making any sense to them but that was my goal.

            "Uh-huh, well, that's nice." Mo answered, she had somehow managed to take her CD player and headphones into this nightmarish game and was blasting Creed though them. Then I heard Sum 41. It must of have been one of the CD's she has made using her cd burner.

            "Well, we best be going. We gotta find the others now." Said Daniel traveling back towards camp. He brushed some of his hair out of his eyes.

            "I was going the wrong way. I thought this way was camp." I said looking back towards the house that had lost its roof. Larry was smiling happily running after us. "Looks like Larry found some useful stuff…"

            "Really?" Asked Mo, looking at the large boy turned barbarian. "I wonder if we can leave him here…"

"You would want to leave him wouldn't you?" I said looking at her.

            "Yes, I would." She replied grinning mischievously. "He's a menace to our society." 

            I added to myself, _'Just like you and your fireballs…'_ Larry stumbled over with a silly grin on his face.

            "But you know you couldn't leave without me." Said Larry, slipping his around Mo shoulders. She growled at punched him in the jaw. "Ouch! What was that for?" He clutched his jaw. 

            "Drop dead, baka." Growled Mo. She whirled around and walked off.

            "Gees, I was just trying to be friendly." Replied Larry, a bit hurt. Dan and I just rolled our eyes and kept on walking.

            It was early evening by the time we reached camp. Stuart and the other two were there by the bonfire. Stuart was reading some odd book in a different language that he probably burrowed from Akara. Jenny was reading her book that she had brought with her from the real world and Aly was practicing with her bow and arrows. Whoosh! An arrow passed right by my head. I gulped. That was a little to close for comfort. 

            "Hey! Watch where you aim, girl." I yelled at Aly.

            "Whoops, clumsy me." Aly said smiling evilly. "Nice to see you back, Dru."

            "Sure you are." I replied. "Ya know you and Mo really need to learn how to control your missiles. You with the arrows and Mo with the fireballs, you're a dangerous duo."

            Mo smiled and said, "Us? Dangerous? You got to be kidding."

            "Yeah, we're perfect angels." Replied Aly. Mo and Aly exchange evil smiles then laughed evilly.

            "I'll believe it when I see it." Said Jenny looking up from her book and glancing at me. "Hello, Dru. Nice to see you back." Then she went back to her book.

            "Hi, to you too." I answered back. Stuart was to absorb in his book to answer. 

            "So, what are we gonna do tomorrow?" I asked.

            "Well," Said Danny, "We need to ask Akara probably. Anyone want to or should I?"

            "Oh, I will." I said, all ready heading towards Akara's tent. On the way I met a lady named, Kasha. 

            "Welcome, outlander to our glorious hovel. I know you're here to challenge the evil outside our camp. Let it be known to you that killing a few beasts won't earn my trust." She said to me.

            "Uhh…Okay." I said hurriedly. When I arrived at Akara's tent was standing outside it, as if waiting for someone. 

            "Hello, noble Druid. There is a place of great evil in the wilderness. Rashya's rouge scouts have informed me that a cave nearby is filled with shadowy creatures and horrors from beyond the grave.

            "I fear that these creatures are planning to make an attack against our encampment. If you and your friends are sincere about helping us, find the dark labyrinth and destroy the foul beast. May the Great Eye watch over you." She said this me and went inside her tent.

            "Uhh…Okay, thanks." I left to report this all my friends. After I said all of this we decide to have a council to see if we should go or not. 

            "We'll sleep on this and in a few days. Lets try to make the best of this. May you all sleep well. We will have a week ahead of us. Good night my friends." Said Dan, as he lay down next to the fire and sleep instantly asleep. We all followed his example and soon I was the only a wake. I slowly drifted into a sleep thinking about my decision. My leg was still killing me. I heard Larry yelling about is stomach in his sleep before I blacked out. _'What nutty people I have ganged up with…' _I fell into a dreamless sleep.

~*~*~

            Will our warriors make the right decision? Or will they choose foolishly? Only time will tell or the next chapter.

~*~*~

Note: Wow, I wrote this chapter in four hours…cool. Well, let's see who's turn is it to tell the story. Danny and Dru are done, for now. If I do Larry (no offense to the real one) it will be a nightmare, I better save him for a battle screen. Aly…battle screen. Jenny…now she'll be good for this. So, Jenny will be next to tell the fateful story of Diablo. Well. Ja Ne! Hope you enjoyed this story!

(Four hours = Four pages, Can you do the Math? ^_~)

I forgot the disclaimer…all well, I DON'T OWN DIABLO TWO OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. I DO OWN MO CAUSE THAT'S ME BUT THAT'S IT. 


	4. We're stuck in the Camp, Told by Jenny R...

Chapter Four

By Hdogg

We're stuck in the Camp

Chapter Told by Jenny Ramo

            Note: Hehe, I had a vision! Well, actually I just figured out how to write this. So let's see what our warriors shall decide. Will they go this quest or will they skip it?

~*~*~

**A Week Later In the "Glorious" Hovel**

            "Hmm…" I thought as I looked around. It was a beautiful morning. The sun shone brightly and the air was fresh and clean. I swept back some of my short black hair out of my eyes. I was the only one up as usual. '_I wonder if its wise that we should do this. I mean in the game you die but you come back but in this world…what could happen to us? We're actual living beings…not computer generated characters…_' 

            I just sat there watching the clouds go by. I reflected on what had been going the past week. We had some training from the Rogues and Akara but not a whole lot. Dru also seemed to be avoiding me too. I sighed. Life was getting very weird on me. 

            I looked around at everyone. All were sleeping peacefully in their sleep. Dru slept farthest away from the fire though. Like he was afraid of something.

            Larry yawned and rolled over into the smoldering ashes of the fire. "OWWW!!!"

He screamed jumping five feet into the air. He rubbed his slightly brunt arm and glared at the ashes.

            "Shut up, ya big baboon." Growled Mo, rolling over and curling up into a ball as she went on sleeping. Her light brown hair, not in its usual pony tail, covered her face. The others all slept soundly though Larry's ranting. I sighed, sat down, and pulled out my book. 

            '_Chapter Seven: The Answering.'_ I read oblivious to my friends as they threw rocks and sticks at Larry to make him shut up but it only caused him to rant louder. Aly was sleeping though all of this amazingly. She didn't even stir when Larry nearly killed her when he fell over her. 

            "How dare you disturbed my sleep!? Prepare to die, you fiend!" Yelled Mo as she threw a fireball at Larry's head. (A/N: I know you can't that in the game when you're in camps but hey who's writing the story? … I like to call these improvements "twiddlements".)

            "Ahhh!! Nice evil sorceress…" Said Larry slowly backing away from the fire and the gang. "You don't want to hurt your handsome, friendly, smart barbarian, do ya?"

            "Hmm…let me think about that…" She made a thoughtful look, then an evil glare appeared in her eyes. "YES! DIE!!" Shouted Mo throwing another blazing fireball at blonde barbarian. 

            "AHHH! SOMEONE SAVE ME FROM THIS MAD WOMAN!" Screeched Larry running around the camp with Mo hot on his tail firing fireballs left and right. 

            I looked up and sighed, _'Hmm…such interesting people those two are…'_ I went back to my book. Nothing interesting was happening in it just people talking about time travel again. Mo was still in hot pursuit of Larry. Daniel was staring at them, shaking his head. Stuart was cooking some kind of meat on the small fire he got going and Dru was staring at the sky mumbling to himself about something. It's amazing how something so small as rolling into the fire, can ruin the perfect peacefulness of the morning.

I had trouble keeping my intention on my book so I finally gave up reading and put it away. "Hmm…what's cooking, Stuart?" I asked.

            "Umm…I actually have no clue, but it looked good to I decided to cook it." Said Stuart, looking at the meat.

            "Okay…" I said then thought, '_Why me? Why do I have to stuck with these weird people?'_

            Mo and Larry were running back towards us. Daniel pulled out his sword and as Larry ran pass him, Daniel whacked him over the head. Then when Mo ran past him, he grabbed her by her ponytail and sat her down on the ground. She wasn't to pleased with this since she was grumbling about how she wasn't able to give the barbarian a proper beating.

            "Okay, you two, no killing each other, well…not here anyways." Said Daniel, brushing a bit of his short brown hair out of his eyes, "We need to get down to business. First off, what are we going to do about food?"

            "Hmm…Just a bit more garlic and some lemon…and we have some lovely chicken or whatever this is." Said Stuart cooking a hunk of meat. Larry was hovering over Stuart trying to get to the meat. "Get away! It's not done!"

            "It isn't?" Whined Larry, his stomach howling for food.

            "Go away and wait." Growled Stuart, threatening Larry with the ladle he had in his hand.

            Larry stalked away and sat down on a log. "Eh, okay…well, on to the second order of business, how do we get home?"

            "Well, there is a possibly that Akara knows." I said. Everyone looked at me. I shrunk back, trying to avoid their peering eyes.

            "Hmmm…you have a point." Said Daniel, "Well, there's nothing we can do about that at the moment, so I guess we need to decide if we're going to take that Den of Evil quest. Since we've been putting off this decision in order to train."

            I asked, "Are you sure we're ready for this?" Everyone but Aly and Dru gave me a glare. I sighed. I guessed they were ready for the danger that faced us but I wasn't sure if I was ready for something like this.

            "I'd say it'd be fun!" Spoke up Mo, jumping up into the air and waving around her staff. I smiled. Mo was a funny person. I turned away then looked back. Something was different about her. I knew her clothes were different because we had all changed into more appropriate outfits as Akara had put it. Her eyes. Mo's eyes were different. The contacts she would usually wear added a slight blue tint to her eyes but there was no blue tint today. Just her usual blue-green eyes that you saw only she had her glasses on. I absentmindedly adjusted my own glasses. Had something been done to her eyes?

            "Yeah…you think everything's fun…" Murmured Larry. He yawned and stretched. "I'm still tired too…" 

            Aly was still sleeping and now mumbling in her sleep, "Duo…Hotohori…Kuja…"  We all glanced at Aly. She was dreaming about anime men again! What a fan girl!

            "Umm…that's not helping at all." Said Daniel, shaking his head.

            "Well, I'm up for something to do. I like to kill things." Said Larry swinging his club around. I backed away slowly to avoid being hit.

            "Yes, that's nice." Stuart said taking the meat out of the flames. "Food's ready."

            "Yahoo! Food! Finally!" Mo jumped for joy and raced over to the food. Larry was the first to try the food though much to Mo's disappointment. 

            "Delicious. Excellent. Tastes like chicken." Larry said mouth full of whatever kind of meat it was.

            "Hey! You've like eaten half the bird!" I exclaimed loudly.

            "Grr…Prepare to die, you fiend!" Yelled Mo charging at Larry.

            "AHH!!! Not again! Someone save me!" He screamed throwing the food up into the air. 

            "I'll get it…" Mumbled Dru catching the bird but tripping over Aly in the process. I sighed as I watched Mo trying to kill Larry again. 

            "Will those two ever get along?" I said to Daniel.

            "Most likely not in this century." He replied, sighing. "Guess, I better get those two to settle down again." He pulled out his sword and shouted at the two idiots, "WOULD YOU TWO GROW UP AND GET YOUR BUTTS OVER HERE?!"

            Larry and Mo stopped dead. "Uhh…" said Mo staring blankly at him. Her looked of confusion was amusing. I laughed softly.

            "What'd I do now!? Please don't hurt me!" Wailed Larry. I just shook my head at him. The people I hang out with, a blood thirsty Sorceress, a wimpy Barbarian, a courageous Paladin, a psycho Necromancer, a sleeping Amazon, and a silent Druid.

            I glanced at Dru. He had set down the meat on a rock. He wasn't facing me but towards the east, as if searching for something. It seemed something was wrong with him but I couldn't tell. If only he would talk to me like he used to.

            "All right people," Daniel said glaring at Mo and Larry. I snapped my attention back to Daniel instead of staring at Dru's back. "Listen up. We need to reach a decision here and would someone wake up sleeping beauty here?"

            Mo and I backed away. "I wouldn't do that if I were you…" I said looking nervously at Aly still mumbling about her anime dream boys. If there's one thing you do not do that was wake Aly up when she was sleeping and dreaming about her anime dream boys.

            "It will be fine." Daniel said shaking Aly a bit but when she looked at Daniel she looked like a demon. She had a "Heero Yuy Death Glare" on her face.

"I. AM. GOING. TO. KILL. YOU!" She screamed at Daniel raising her bow and arrow murderously.

            Daniel gulped, "Nice person…" He started to back up.

            "How dare you wake me up when I was about to kiss Hotohori! You just shattered my prefect dream! Prepare to die!" Aly shot an arrow at Daniel but missed by a hair. "Dang it!" She reloaded and prepared to shoot again.

            "Umm…RUN!" Someone shouted. We, except for Dru, all scattered in the four directions of the wind. Dru just stood off to the side looking towards the east, oblivious to all. We had left Aly staring at some meat with her bow raised for killing.

            "Oh, look, you've left me food!" She said stuffing the rest of the meat into her mouth. I groaned. I was starving and she ate the last bit of food! Between her, Mo, and Larry, the rest of us would never be able to eat again! 

            Daniel slowly reproached the fire, "Umm…" He said nervously "We really need to this decisions some time soon. We are going to the Den of Evil or no?"

            "Righty oh, chap! It'll be smashing!" Said Stuart, waving around his wand. Small red sparks shot forth from the tip. "Whoops." He shrugged.

            "Oh, why not, perhaps we can find some more food." Replied Mo, twirling her staff around dangerously. "Nice sparks, Stuy. Hehehehe." A small stream of fire hit Stu in the boot. While Stuart danced around trying to put the flame, the rest of us agreed to go on the quest.

            "Hmmm…. I guess, I will." I said simply, with shrug. I really didn't care about the quest but it was better then sitting around here or training.

            "I'm so hungry…must have food…" Complained Larry, running his hand over his buzz cut blonde hair.

            "Grrr…Get your mind off that stomach of yours. At least you got to eat something." Growled Mo, with a dangerous gleam in her eye.

            "True. If I come, can I get more food?" We all stared at Larry. _'What a complete idiot…'_ I thought looking at the great hulk.

             "Would someone shoot him please?" Mo said, annoyed.

            Aly smiled, "Sure!" She notched an arrow and aimed at Larry, "So you coming or no?" 

            "YES! YES! JUST DON'T HURT ME!!" He begged. Mo and Aly exchanged evil little smiles. I sighed. They would never change.

            "Maybe." Was all they said.

            "Okay, well, that's five of us." He said as he turned to Dru, "You gonna come with us?"

            "Yes." He replied. I noticed that he was rubbing his shin. _'That's strange…Is he hurt?' _I made a mental to ask him later.

            "Okay! Well, I'm guessing your going to come too, Aly?" Asked Daniel, glancing at the grinning Amazon.

            "Must I?" She replied, with a bored face.

            "Uh-huh. If I go, you go." Replied Mo.

            She sighed and said, "And if I don't…?"

            "Hehe, I need someone to practice my fireballs on, ya know." She replied mischievously. Larry gulped.

            "Well, I guess I'm coming then. I have no choice in the matter." She replied as she whacked Mo in the back of the head. "And I will not be someone's target you little baka." 

            "Ouch! That'd hurt! Your so mean to me!" Wailed Mo. _'That girl is so weird…one moment she's all tough and idiotic and the next she whines constantly. I will never understand her…'_

            "Okay, we're going to split into two groups. Me, Mo, and…Stuart in one group and the rest of you in the other, is that okay with you all?" He asked. We all nodded and Larry was praising God that he wasn't stuck with Mo. "So let's get on with it!"

            I looked around at these people. They were all so different and yet all so a like. They're personalities clashing together to form a single unit, a team. Would I be able to fit in with them?

            Daniel's group was all ready out of camp. "Well, I guess we better get going." I said. 

            "Yup, let's go." Said Aly slinging her arrows over her shoulder and getting her long hair caught on an arrow shaft. "Damn arrows…" She grumbled.

            Dru didn't say anything just walked past us and waited at the entrance of the camp, patiently. Larry was walking into stuff trying to find his shield he had misplaced. I just grabbed my katar and shield and walked towards Dru.

            "Hmm…isn't this fun." I said.

            "Oh, yes, loads." He replied staring at nothing outside the camp.

            I remembered him rubbing his shin. "Are you all right?" He shrugged. "Dru?" He glanced at me with his beautiful golden brown eyes. I felt my heart flutter. The feeling scared me. I stepped back from him and looked out towards the moor.

            "DANNY! WATCH OUT INCOMING FIREBALL!" Mo yelled off from a distance. There was small explosion on the horizon.

            "Guess Mo found her targets to practice on." Said Dru.

            "Uh-huh." I replied. I shivered. The day was warm, almost hot. The sun was at high noon. It wasn't to late in the day. It would be an eventful day for all of us. Most likely be at times dangerous in many different ways but hopefully we'd all survive whatever we were going to face out there this day…

~*~*~

            Will our hero's survive this day like Jenny hopes they will? Or will they die in the Den of Evil? What is in the Den of Evil? Just monsters? Or fortune and glory? Will Mo end up killing Larry? What is Dru hiding? And does Jenny have a crush on Dru? Only time will tell. Or the next chapter. Whatever comes first!

~*~*~

Note: Well…that was interesting now wasn't it? Review plz!

Disclaimer: Ummm…Did I remember to disclaim this story yet? All well if I didn't I DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS EXCEPT MYSELF, MO! And a few other characters that come in the later chapters…but that's it!


	5. The Cave Of Wonders, Told by Mo Wolfe

Chapter Five

By Hdogg

The Cave of Wonders

Story Told by Mo

Note: Hiya! I'm back! Did ya miss me! Hehe. Guess who's going to tell the story? Me! Hehe. Hope ya enjoy!

~*~*~

            "Whoa!"  Yelled Danny. His gorgeous brown hair fluttered in front of his eyes. "Watch where you aim, girl!" He laughed as he nimbly dodged one of my flaming balls of fire.

            "Oops…wrong way, again." I said, looking sheepish. I had done this the past few times I've thrown my fireball at something. They always seemed to try to hit him, instead of trying to hit the beasts. "I didn't mean for the thing to go towards ya."

            Danny sighed, smiled, and said all at the same time, "It's all right. Just please, watch where you aim." He ruffled my hair and walked off.

            I smiled mischievously at him and looked into his eyes, "Whatever you say, dude." Stuy was picking up stuff that fell onto the ground out of the icky corpses of things that we had killed.

            "Hmm…look at what I found, a ring, a scroll, some potions, mana and healing, and some armor." He said dumping the armor in front of Danny and me. The potions were on his belt, so I guessed he wasn't about to share those with us.

            "I want studded leather thing!" I called out reaching for the armor. The armor was a bit old but it fit well. "Uhh…is there any other color besides brown? It doesn't look good on me." Danny and Stuy just stared at me with blank looks. I giggled. Danny had the cutest looks! "Okay…never mind." I thought, _'Men, no sense of style.'_

            "Hmm…let's see what kind of scroll is it?" Asked Danny, looking at the scroll that Stuy held in his hand. His wand was stuck onto this belt as he looked at the scroll.

            "It's red so I believe that is it an identification scroll." Replied Stuy. He ran one of his hands through his slightly curly dirty blonde hair. "Wonder how you use it…I would like to see what kind of ring we found, chaps."

            "Perhaps, we read it?" I said, stating the obvious. I rolled my eyes. Some men can be such stupid idiots.

            "Perhaps, ol' gel." Stuy broke the seal, opened the scroll, and read, "Oh punt! Oh punt! Uitbrengen uw zuiver vorm voor mij!" The ring glowed and the metal turned a bluish tint.

            "Oh, cool! Look, it changed colors!" I said picking up the ring. "And it's blue! It's so totally me!" I looked at the ring closely. A blue topaz was set into the blue tinged gold.

            "What did you say, Stuart?" Asked Danny, as I admired the ring. The scroll had disappeared into thin air after Stuart was done reading it. To bad it didn't burst into flames. It would have been a little more interesting.

            "I don't know…it's in a different language, one I don't know, surprisingly." He said. I fingered the ring, wondering what it did. I was tempted to put it on but it could kill me if I didn't know exactly what the heck it did. I twirled it around in my hands.

            "How do you what it does? It's not like we're on a computer and can just click the ring, ya know." I mumbled to mostly myself but apparently the gorgeous brown haired boy was listening to my opinion.

            "Good point, Mo." Danny said. "I wonder how we figure out how it works…" The ring felt natural in my hand for some odd reason. It started to hum. "Umm…is that good?"

            "I haven't a clue…" I slipped the ring on my figure. Nothing happened or so I thought. A band of rats with quils on there back started firing needles at us. "Eek!" I squeaked, jumping behind Danny. 

            Danny pulled out his sword and started chopping at the little rats but he kept missing them. "Damn! Why can't I hit them?" He swung again and hit the ground. "Grrr…"

            I threw a fireball at one. The rat it exploded. Charred pieces of its flesh were spread out on the ground. The two guys thought it was cool but it was a little too much for me. I shrugged and turned to the next Quill Rat in line to die. "Hmmm…." I threw two other fireballs the other rats. Both were dead in a matter of minutes. "I killed all the rats…" I mumbled, without much victory in my voice.

            "Hmm…I think that ring boosted your attack rating and perhaps some of your mana, Mar." Said Stuart, studying the dead monsters. "I wonder…Steigern mein servieren! Komme und Kampf als mich, mein Krieger!" A skeleton warrior raised out of one of the rats.

            "AHH!!" I yelled as I hid behind Danny. He gave me a funny look and turned to Stu. 

He gulped nervously and asked Stu, "Dude, what is that?"

"Wow, it worked..." He said to himself. He was looking at his wand then to the skeleton then back to his wand again.

"WHAT WORKED?" Asked Danny, loudly, slightly annoyed with Stu. 

"Oh a spell I learned. I can raise an army with this spell…Interesting, eh?" He replied walking around. The skeleton followed him silently except for the slight creaking of its bleach white bones rubbing in their joints.

"Umm, no I think its creepy, dude…" I said to Stuy then I wisphered in to Danny's ear, "Danny, do you think its safe?" I wisphered softly, putting my hands on his board shoulders. I stood on my tiptoes, to look over his shoulder, to glance at Stu.

"I hope so." I felt him shudder. I have a small, hopefully, reassuring squeezed.

"Hey, guys!" Yelled Larry from a distance always, "I think we found the cave!" I groaned as I stuck to Danny like glue, not letting him go. 

"Your attached to me now, aren't you?" He asked, smiling. I growled at him and, almost reluctantly, let him go. "Perhaps not…" He shrugged.

He, Stuy, and I ran over to where that barbarian was. The cave was just a hole in the ground and it was dark. I attached myself to a bolder. 

"I refuse to go in there." I said stubbornly. My friends stared at me with either amused, annoyed, or in Larry's case, blank looks.

"Hey, you made me come out here. If I go in, you're coming with me." Said Aly glaring at me. She looked awfully menacing with her spear in her hand.

"Uh uh. I ain't moving no matter what." I said, hugging the rock like my life depended on it. My friends glared at me. Danny wisphered something to Larry. He smiled at me as he approached me. "Why don't I trust that smile on your face, Larry." I mumbled with a slight glare. Larry moved quickly and picked me up off the ground. 

"GRAHH! LET ME! GO YOU BABOON!" I said hitting him in the head.

"Owe! Hey stop that!" He said, slinging me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. 

"Larry, if you don't put me down I'll be forced to throw Fireballs at you." I growled out, preparing my spell.

"Hehe." He ripped my staff from my hands and handed it to Aly. "No, you won't."

"Wanna bet?" I asked. A mischievous smile played on my face.

"Nope." He said as he crawled into the dark cave. The cave's air was musky and smelt like dead flesh. I gagged. After a moment or two, Larry stood up in the carven. Danny and the others popped up next to Larry out of the hole. Aly lit a torch. The walls were all slimly and moldy.

"PUT ME DOWN! I WANT OUT OF HERE!" I yelled. There was a loud crash behind us as the entrance of the cave melted away into the wall. I held onto Larry's neck against my will. "Oh my gosh! I hate the dark!" I sniffled and increased pressure on his neck.

Aly, Jenny, and Stuart all held torches. "Think, I should put her down, Dan?" Asked Larry, almost choking from my death grip.

"You better, we'll need her lovely fireballs against the demons in this cave, ya know." He replied all ready heading down a passage. Larry sat me down and Aly handed my staff back to me and started following Danny down the passage. The rest of us followed, Larry and me were in the back of the line. All of a sudden, there were shouts ahead.

"Do you think they're fighting up there? Or did someone run into a stalactite?" I asked Larry, trying to see over Aly's head. _'I hate being short. IT'S NOT FAIR!_' I thought grudgingly. 

"I think it's fighting." He said looking over my head. He was a good deal taller then the rest of us. "There's fighting. I just saw Jenny kick a walking corpse in the head." He snickered.

I thought, _'Joyous…More evil monsters to fight and I'm so hungry…'_ There was a noise behind Larry. The loud clanging noise of armor. WHOOSH! An arrow whizzed past Larry's arm and missed me. "What was that?" I asked. I heard a sickening crack of a skull being broken by a heavy blow. Wide eyed, I swallowed nervously. 

"A vile hunter or whatever they're called shot an arrow at us. Stay down." He shouted as he charged at a zombie.

"Fine with me." I said, hiding behind a stagalmite. Larry was having a picnic chopping stuff in half. "Larry! Behind you!" I yelled as a monster crept up behind him.

            He didn't appear to have heard me. "Fireball!" I shouted waving my staff and pointing to the monster. The monster dropped dead when the fireball hit it. Larry had finally chopped off the last monsters head and headed back towards me. He was bleeding in several places. "Did you notice that you're hurt?" I asked pointing out the obvious.

            "Uh-huh." He said as he sat down on the ground. I went around gathering various items. A large leather shirt for Larry, some potions for both of us, and a few scrolls. There was nothing to valuable in this little gather.

            "Here, Larry. Drink this." I handed him a red vial.

            "Umm…Is it safe?" He asked. I nodded. He drank all the contents in one gulp. All his cuts were healed, thankfully. "Thank you."

            "And here put this on. It looks likes it'd fit you." I handed him the leather armor I had picked up. He slipped on over his head.

            "Thanks. Now we both have armor, right, Mar?" He said to me, smiling.

            "Yup. Now lets go find the others." I replied, looking down the passage to where some other fighting was going on. Larry stood up and started walking towards the noise. I followed behind him closely, watching wearily for more demons.

            We didn't have to walk to far because they had turned around. I asked Danny why. "Oh, it was just a dead end. Let's try the passage." We headed to the other passage just opposite of the first one we went down.

            "Hey, where'd ya get that armor?" Asked Aly, looking curiously at Larry's new armor.

            "Mo, found it for me." Replied Larry, slightly beaming.

            "Hmmm….I see. Well, we found some stuff too." Said Aly, dropping a few more potions and scrolls. There was also a short sword, another magical item that needed to be identified, and a pair of broken gloves. 

            _'Now, why someone would pick up a broken pair of gloves is beyond me…' _I thought looking at the stuff. 

            "Graahhh!" Yelled a little red demon as an it waved its torch around in mini circles. For a fleeting moment, I thought it looked cute. Then I threw the broken gloves at its face. 

            "DIE!" I yelled at the monster. It gave me a blank look. I laughed nervously and hid behind Danny, once again. He gave me a queer look and just shrugged.

            "Incoming, monsters." Said Jen as she sliced one's arm off with her katar. The little demon yelled at her and banished its torch in Jenny's face, slightly burning Jen's face. "Grrr, you are SO gonna pay for that!" She said kicking the monster into the afterlife. "Teach you to burn me, you little demon." Jenny drank a vial to heal herself. The rest of us watched surprised. 

            I was slightly afraid and held onto Danny's tanned, muscular arm. Then, I wisphered to Aly, "She dangerous when she's mad. Remind me to rather make her mad, Kay?" I shuddered a little.

            "Uh-huh. Same goes for me too." She wisphered back. Dru was busy killing a big beast with Larry while Danny picked up gold from off the floor. In my somewhat strange mind, I imaged him to be singing for joy as he collected the gold off the dusty ground.

            "Let's see I found…100 gold coins. Anyone know what 100 divide by 7 is?" He asked, jingling the money in his hand.

            "Just give everyone 14 coins, Danny." I said to him. Larry and Dru came back with blood on them from the big beast.

            "But then there's 2 left." He said, handing out the money. I smiled happily, accepting the money.

            "Then give it to me." I said, as he handed the rest of the money to me.

            "Okay, whatever." We kept on walking, not encountering any more things. Danny stopped us and said in a low voice, "There's ten zombies up a head, be careful. They eat flesh so watch your back, guys." Then he charged head first into battle. _'Oh, he's so cute when he does that!' _I thought to myself for some unknown reason. Larry charged second.****

            "RRAHH!" He screamed bashing the zombies with his club. Stuart's skeleton fought for Stuy while Dru and Jenny fought side by side against three zombies. Aly took care of what was left. Then I noticed the unique monster. 

_'What was his name again…' _ I thought, absentmindly, as I watched the unique Zombie. Then Zombie charged for Danny. "Danny! Behind ya! Corpse Fire is right behind ya!" I yelled across the cavern. 

"Huh?" He said turning around as the zombie hit him in the side. "Ahhh!" Danny cried out. He wasn't wearing any armor at all. He dropped his sword and shield and clutched his bleeding side.

I growled and shouted, "Ice bolt!" A blast of ice sprang out of my staff and hit Corpse Fire in the back. I stood in shock as the zombie came after me. _'What did I just yell? I don't know the spell for Ice bolt…or do I now?'_ I thought still in shock of what I did.

"Rah!" Yelled Larry as he killed the flesh-eater, with a single mighty blow of his club. "Hey, you okay, Mo?" He asked me with a concerned look, on his handsome, young face. His blue eyes looked so comforting. I could get lost in them so easily.

But I just nodded and answered. "Yes, thanks, Larry." I gave him a quick hug and ran over to help Danny.

"Oh, gees, that hurt." He groaned, "could someone get me a health potion?" 

"Umm…oops." Said Jenny, as she mistakenly drank the last one.

_'Oh, dear…'_ I thought then said. "I'll go find another one. I'll be right back." I took off down a very narrow shaft in the cave. I used my magic to light a light blue flame on the tip of my staff. Thankfully, the fire wasn't burning my staff as I walked down the narrow shaft. "There's gotta be a vial around here somewhere…" I saw light ahead. I thought it was my friends but it was the little red demons again. "Grrr…Get out of way!" I yelled as I fired a fireball at one of the little demons. The rest scattered. 

I heard a scraping noise behind me again. "Graahhh!" Yelled the red demon that I had thought I killed.

"Eek!" I screamed as I sent a crushing blow to the demon's head with my wooden staff. "How'd ya come back to life…?" I asked the dead demon. Then I saw the fallen shaman in the shadows. "Oh…well, that could a reason why, now couldn't it?" I mumbled to myself as I threw an ice bolt at the shaman. "DIE YOU DEMON!" I yelled, the creature did die too and dropped a red vial. 

All of a sudden, it seemed that someone had turned on the lights. Shafts of sunlight came though opening in the ceiling. I ran back to where I had left Danny and the others but they were gone… _'That's funny,_' I thought holding the vial tightly in my hand, trying to figure where my comrades had gone, _'I could have sworn they were here when I left… Where could they have gone…?'_

~*~*~

            Where are the rest of the warriors? Did they leave Mo on purpose or did they just disappear? Will Mo be able to find them? And does Mo like Danny? Or could it be Larry?  Only time will tell. Stay tuned in for Chapter Six told by Aly. 

~*~*~  
  


Note: Hmm…Here's a new twist to the story…Everyone disappeared…What will Maureen do? And what is this about her thinking that Danny is cute? Does she have a crush on him? And she was actually nice to Larry and she thought she was handsome? She wasn't throwing fire balls at him? Did her brain cease to function or something? Mysterious….


	6. Where's Mo?, Told By Aly Miko

Chapter Six

By Hdogg

Story told by none other then the famous writer, Reno no Miko! Err…I mean Allison Miko. Whoops. ^_~

Where's Mo?

Note: Umm…No statements will be given at this time.

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NADA IS THIS STORY EXPECT ME AND MY CD PLAYER, Kay?

Well, Onward to victory!

~*~*~

            "Damn it, you barbarian!" Yelled the brown haired young man at the blonde barbarian. "How could you have let her go off by herself? DO YOU KNOW HOW STUPID THAT IS!?" He threw his hands in the air and uttered a growl.

            "Look here, paladin," He said the word as if it were the devil, himself, "its not like I'm not worried about her too! How do you think how I feel!" Yelled back the blonde barbarian, pushing the other young man. I sighed sitting there watching Larry and Daniel yell at each other. 

            _'I_ _wonder where Mo is… what'd she say if she knew two boys were fighting over her…' _I thought to myself, staring at the idiots that were now on the ground punching each other. I had a slightly amused look on my face.

Dan swung his fist and it connected with Larry's jaw. A slight snapping sound could be heard. Larry then kneed him in the gut. 

_'Bakas…'_ I thought with disgust. 

            "Hey Aly, want some fruit?" Said Stuart coming up to me a basket full of strawberries. His blonde hair was spiked. Though some of his bangs still covered his forehead.

            "Yeah, sure, Thanks." I said munching on the fruit. They needed sugar though but they were still good. Nice and ripe.

            "Will those two ever learn?" He asked watching Larry getting knocked in the head with Dan's shield. He brushed some of his hair out of his eyes. "Infernal hair." He mumbled.

            I smile slightly. "Naw, most likely not…Have you seen Dru or Jenny?" I asked him. He shook his head. "Hmm…Strange…" I wondered where they could have been. Though it wasn't unusual they were hanging around each other. They've been like since we had gotten her. I just wished that Jenny would talk to me sometime. She was either reading her book or out with Dru. I shook my head and sighed. 

            "Grrr…ITS NOT MY FAULT!" Shouted Larry kicking Dan in the head.

            "YEAH RIGHT! WHO'S FAULT WOULD IT BE THEN? STUART'S?" Yelled back Dan, punching Larry in the nose. Stuart crept away silently, hoping he wouldn't be noticed by the two fighting boys. "STUART DERHUND, WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!?"

            "Oh, bloody hell." He mumbled out of the side of his mouth. He walked back towards the ignorant boys. I sighed. _'Boys will be boys…They never learn.'_

            "You had something to do with this, didn't you?" Growled Larry from his position on the ground. Dan was sitting on his chest with a fist raised in the air, ready to punch him.

            "Umm…well, you see it was clearly an accident…" Started Stuart but was instead interrupted by Dan.

            "ACCIDENT!? YOU LEFT MAR IN A UNDERGROUND CAVE, YOU IDIOT!" Roared Dan. He punched Larry in the chest. 

            "Ouch! Dude!" He shoved Dan off his chest and punched him in the arm. "That hurt!" 

            Dan growled. His brown hair was flying in all directions. Then swung his fist with all his might. It connected with the side of Larry's head. "Take that, you dolt!"

            "Grrr…" Larry rolled to one side and jumped up. He charged at Dan with a wild look in his blue eyes. He jumped into the air, with his fist raised above his head, and came down with a mighty thud. He had swung his fist and missed Dan's head by an inch. The ground which he stuck had cracked a few feet in all directions.

            "Okay, I've had enough of this fighting. You are getting on my last nerves." I walked up to the blonde barbarian and the brown eyed Paladin and banged their heads together. "If I remember correctly, you two bakas, I do believe Stuart did save you, Dan. So, shut up. And anyways, do you really think Mo needs are help?" I watched them, with my arms crossed across my chest, with my "Heero Yuy death glare".

            "Well, you do have a point there. Mo really can take of herself…" Said Larry rubbing his jaw. He shot a glare in Dan's direction. He stumbled to his feet and stood up. 

            I blinked. _'How the heck? Since when was Larry six feet tall?'_ I looked at Dan, who was now standing to. _'…How the heck are these guys growing so TALL?'_ Dan was about six feet also.

            "Sorry, man, I didn't mean to get all…weird on ya." Said Dan to Stuart. He had a silly grin on his face. Like his brains were dis-functioning. Which probably was true.

            "Erm, what about me?" Asked Larry. He looked positively annoyed for the most part. 

            "I AM NEVER GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN, YA GREAT BABOON!" Yelled Dan at him. 

Larry stared, with a half blank, half annoyed look, at him then walked away.

            "Well, that was uncalled for…" I said to Dan. He just growled, picked up Stuart. He basically carried him like he was a stack of potatoes and headed to the other end of the camp. "Umm…okay…" I was left by myself in the middle of an insane rouge camp. With nothing to do, I wandered around the camp. 

            I walked to the northeastern corner, since I hadn't explored that small section yet. I stumbled and tripped. "Owe…" I was turning into Mo! A nightmare come true! I smiled and sighed. I missed the twit. No matter how annoying she could get, she would always make me smile with one of her insane stunts. 

            I looked around. In the corner was a blocked off area. "I wonder what that could be…" I mumbled to myself, wandering over to the in closer. I walked through the flap that served as a door and was met with an astonishing sight. 

The whole area was like one big Japanese hot springs spa. Tropical trees, steam, rocks. It was the works! The top was even closed off and small skylights could be seen on the ceiling in certain places. It was most wonderful! It was warm and cut off from all the cold and rain. There were a lot of big hot springs in the main area but there was also small closed off areas that most of been private bathing areas. "Hot water…baths…I'm in heaven!" Then a single voice ruined it all.

            "Hello there, young Amazon." Said a voice from behind me. When I turned around I noticed it was the scout leader, Kashya. She didn't look like she was having a good day either. Her red hair was in a matted mess and her uniform was cut and torn in many different places. "My scouts for reported an abomination in the Monastery graveyard!" Her voice was strained.

            "Hmmm…" I thought without much sympathy for the lady, _'And you are telling me about this, why?' _ 

            "Apparently Andariel," Kashya started but I interrupted her with a wave of my hand.

            "Let me, guess, you need me to kill that witch, save the souls of your dead, and if I'm your ally and help you, you'll reward me right?" I said impatiently wanting to take an extremely hot bath. The day was cold and dreary and a bath would do me a lot of good at the moment.

            "Uhh…yes, that's basically it but how'd you know…?" She asked in awe. 

            "Warriors secret. Can't tell you. Well, time for me to take a nice hot bath. Bye!" I said pushing her out the in closed area. "Okay…So, I guess we got another quest…Joyous." Then I smiled happily. "But first a nice hot bath!" I looked around and noticed towels and robes by the smaller areas. "Personal bathing areas! Perfect!" I practically bounced, like Mo would, over to the area. I was dying for a bath. It had been at least a week since I had taken my last hot bath. I had washed in a steam outside of camp but it was frigid! It was still March. It's not all that warm this time of the year.

            I stepped out of my new clothes. When I had arrived I was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. Now I wore a dark red short sleeved shirt, that was actually leather. It was some protection against the demons, though not a whole lot. I also wore dark brown pants that were made out a light, wiry material. Though I had tripped and had been hit in the legs many times, there was still no rips or holes in the pants. When I wore those, they were tucked in light yellow leather boots. The boots were the heavy kind too. Good for traveling. I rather liked the boots a lot. They laced up in the front not buckled. Which I thought was pretty nice. Also, whenever I used my spear or bow and arrows, I wore dark brown leather gloves to protect my hands.

            I folded my clothes up and set them aside. I practically leaped into the hot spring. It was hot at first but after a minute or two, I was used to the hot water against my skin. I sunk into the water until it was up to my chin.

            I sighed happily. "Wonderfulness…" I closed my eyes and let my mind wander. And my thoughts just had to go to Mo. I couldn't help but miss the baka and her silly ways. She had been missing since yesterday. _'I hope she's okay…Though she should be. She would probably frighten all the monsters away with her happy bounciness.' _

            I took a deep breath and completely submerged myself totally in the warm water. I held my breath for about thirty seconds before I popped back to the surface. I shook my head, sputtering water everywhere in my small, private hot spring area. "I really should get out…but it's so dreary out there and so warm in here!" I sunk back into the water and closed my eyes.

            I heard a crash and quickly opened my eyes. I looked up and noticed that it was evening all ready. "Ack! I feel asleep!" I jumped out the warm water and scrambled to put on my clothes. I was completely dressed in a matter of moments except for one boot. I had hopped out my small in closer with my other boot in my hand, when I ran into Jenny. I jumped my boot on my foot. I bit my lip and smiled.   
            "Aly?" She asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"

            "I should I ask the same for you." I replied, putting the second boot on my foot. Then I tied the laces to the boots. I stretched and looked at her.

            She smiled slightly. "Everyone has been looking for you. Thinking you were missing too..." She sat down on a rock with a small sigh. She looked sad for some reason.

            "Jen?" She didn't look up at me. "Jen? What's wrong?" I sat next to her on the rock. 

            "Well…" She started then shook her head. "Nevermind. It's not important."

            I poked her in the side. "Don't give me that excuse. I can tell something is wrong. Tell me, please. I may able to help." 

            She looked at me with sad eyes. "How can one help with matters of the heart?"

            I blinked. "Oh my…It's about Dru, isn't it?" She nodded. "What happened?" She shook her head in refusal to tell me anything. I noticed that she was crying now too. "Jenny…" I hated to see my friends sad. I hugged her. "Come now. Tell me." I brushed some of her dark hair out of her face.

            She sniffled and nodded. "Well…It's…" She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Her usually bright green eyes were dull without their usual light shining in them.

            I patted her shoulder comfortingly. Then my eyes narrowed as a thought dawned on me. "He hasn't hurt you in anyway has he?"

            "No…not physically…but…He's not telling me anything! I know something is wrong. That there is something he's hiding from me but he refuses to tell me anything…" She shook her head. One of her tears splashed on my hand. I clenched my hand into a fist then relaxed it.

            "It's okay. Give him some time. Does he know you care for him?" I asked gently. I hoped I wasn't pressing the subject too much. "That you are worried about him?"

            She shrugged. "I think he knows…but I don't know anymore…I'm just so confused…" She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her head on them. I patted her back. Nothing I could say would help her. 

            We sat there for most of the rest of night in silence in the warm hot springs area. Jenny fell asleep probably around ten. She was still in the same position as she was when we had stopped talking. 

            I felt my eyes slowly closing and my head nodding. I yawned. "Maybe I should just close my eyes for a minute…" I laid down the rock and closed my eyes. I was out in a matter of seconds.

            I felt a tapping on my shoulder. "Nyrah…buzz off…" I rolled over to my other side. I felt the tap again and some sort of sound. I sat up with annoyed look. "What do you want?" I snarled. My hair was a matted mess that covered my face.

            Jenny shrunk back, slightly frightened by my appearance. "Ummm…"

            I shook my head and slightly smiled. "Sorry. What time is it?" I ran one of my hands through my nice, clean yet messy hair.

            Jenny looked out of a sky light since the only person with a watch was Mo. "Well…I think it's about nine or so…" The day was crystal clear with puffy white cotton balls in the sky. It was promising to be a glorious day though Mo was still missing.  
            I moaned. "Why'd you wake me up then?" 

            Jenny shrugged and began to walk out of the large bathing area. "I'm hungry." With that, she disappeared out the door.

            _'Now that I think about it…I'm hungry too…'_ I stood up and yawned. I rubbed my eyes and walked to the door on the stony path that whined throughout the whole hot springs thing. I pushed open the leather flap that served as a door and walked out into the sunlight. 

            The warm sun felt wonderful on my suntanned face. I raised my hands in the air and stretched. I wandered out of the little secluded corner of the camp and walked to the entrance at the other side of the camp.

            I leaned against one of the wooden posts and thought. _'Today is the…10th…I think…Does that mean Mo has been missing for two days?'_ I sighed and looked across the moor. _'How long have we been here?'_ I wondered. _'We arrived on the 28th of February and if it's now the 10th of March that would mean…'_ I did some mental math in my mind. _'It wasn't a leap year so…we've been here eleven days…'_  I sighed. I longed for home. Even though my pest of a sister was there. I still wanted to be home on my computer talking all my wonderful friends.

            I suddenly heard something behind me and it was whistling. I turned around and saw my insane nutcase friend, Mo, carrying a lot of stuff. "Hiya, Aly, gather the troops. I got stuff for all of you." She was practically bouncing around with her arms loaded with sharp, pointy weapons!

            "How…But I thought…" I rambled, completely confused. _'She's back and she's hyper…God, save us from this nightmare!'_

            "Hehe, well, ya know those blue scroll thingies…?" Asked the smiling manic, setting everything on the ground.

            "Yes…but what does that have to do with this?"

            "Do you remember what they are?" She was sorting though her stuff, putting different things in piles. There was a lot of stuff. Spears, swords, armor. Everything one could need in this game…or was it now reality?

            "Well…Now that I think about it…" Then it hit me, "Town portals! Why didn't I see it before?" I walked to over to Mo and looked at the stuff she had brought to the camp.

            "Oh, I bet because Danny and Larry were trying to kill each other and your mind was occupied with other minds. Such as thinking about home." She said with a secretive smile. 

            "How did you know?" I asked, Mo didn't look right. She was smiling too much, if that's possible for her. Also her hair seemed to be longer and she looked older. Not like the thirteen year old baka I knew all to well.

            "Oh, you, know I have my ways, by the way is Dru and Jen back yet?" Mo

inquired, picking up a ring and inspecting it carefully. She put it into a pile along with a sword.

            "What?" I blinked. "I just saw Jenny…but she did leave me a while ago…" There is differently something wrong here. How'd did she know all of this? She was supposed to be missing but yet here she was at the entrance of the camp talking to me…What in the world was going on?

            "Hmm…I bet your thinking why I'm acting so weird, eh, Aly?" She asked looking at me with a mischievous grin. 

            My eyes narrowed and replied coldly, "Yes, that thought did cross though my mind a few times." 

            "Oh, there are reasons but I can't tell them to you now. I got to go and get something, anyways. See you in a bit!" And at that Mo disappeared though the town portal she had come though.

            "That was really, really weird…" I looked at the stuff. There was armor, wands, staffs, swords, and rings amulets, all sorts of junk. I saw a circlet and a spear that caught my eye. I picked up the green circlet and placed it on my head. I suddenly felt stronger and swifter. Then I picked the spear. "Damn, this thing is heavy…" The spear was blue with white stripes. I set it back down on the ground. _'Wonder if we can stash stuff…It's worth a try.'_ I picked the heavy spear and carried it over the stash box in the middle of the camp by the fire. "Okay, spear, into the box you go." I lifted the spear and dropped it into the box. 

            "Hiya, Aly! We're back! You wouldn't believe what happened to us." Said Jen jogging up to greet me with a bright smile. She seemed more cheerful then she was earlier. 

            "Uh-huh, well, where you been for the past few hours?" I asked. Dru was following behind Jen with a wolf at his side. "A walking skeleton and now a wolf…yeah, lucky me…" I shook my head.

            "You see, we went out into the moor and wandered around, talking. Since it was pretty much cleared out, we didn't have to fight much. We crossed this bridge and came upon this stone square thing in the ground. Didja know what it was? It was a way point! In the cold plains! Cool, eh? And did you also know we saw Mo too?" Jen was talking really fast, which was extremely unusual for her. She smiled happily. Her emerald eyes shone brightly.

            "Mo was just here a few minutes ago…She dropped off that armor and stuff." I said pointing to the piles of junk.

            "Really?" She asked, then went on. "Well, anyways, Mo explained to us about the way point and how to activate it. It really wasn't all that hard. I'll be sure to show you some time, kay?" 

She continued on about other stuff but I didn't really listen to her because my mind was elsewhere, _'That's so weird…Mo knew how to activate the way point and see dropped stuff here that isn't even in this Act?! This is so strange…I wonder what is up with this…' _I frowned. My dark hair blew around in a slight breeze.

            I closed my eyes and thought. But I didn't get to think long because there was a commotion in the front of the camp as Larry walked in carrying Mo in his arms. _'What in the world is going on here?'_ I thought as Larry set down Mo by the camp fire.

            He gently brushed some of her hair away from her face. Her face was beaten and was bleeding from various cuts. "Someone, get Dan or Stuart." He said, pressing a clothe against one her larger cuts on her forehead. "She's been badly wounded." 

            One of her arms seemed to be broken. Not just because it was in a funny angle but part of her shattered bone had punctured her skin. Her right leg also seemed to be broken too. Blood covered the whole left side her face. I turned around, blinking stinging tears away from my eyes.

Jen and Dru continued to stand there in shock, as I walked away from them in a slight daze. Just minutes ago I saw Mo drop all this stuff and she was in perfect health or was that someone else? My mind was in a babble as I stared at my poor friend in disbelief. What happened to her?

~*~*~

            Well, this is an odd twist of events. Mo's wounded? But wasn't she in perfect health just a few minutes ago? Or wasn't that Mo? Was it like some sort of a guardian or something? Hmm…Interesting, well, stay tuned for the next chapter! Byebyez!

~*~*~

Note: I  wonder, where I'm going with this now… 


	7. The Burial Ground, Told By Larry Sage

Chapter Seven

By Hdogg

Told by Larry Sage, The Mighty Barbarian

The Burial Ground! (Mo: EEK! I AINT GOING THIS TIME I REALLY MEAN IT! Larry: ::evil smile:: Lets see…where did I leave me club? Mo: EEKK!!!)

Note: Well, Mo came back but in shreds…but wasn't she in perfect a few moments before she re-entered camp? Or could that have been someone else? What is my mind thinking? Well, lets find out.

Onward to Victory!

~*~*~

                The second day after I had found Mo was late and coming to an end. Mo unconscious still but in stable condition. I was sitting on the ground next to her, while the others held a conference. They were mainly talking about the next quest. The burial ground. _'Man, is that gonna be creepy…'_ Dru and Jenny were relating their story to the others. I caught some of it, though none of it was interesting.

                I ran one of my callused hands over Mo's hair. When I had found her earlier yesterday the whole left side of her face was covered in blood and her right leg was broken. 

The worst of her injuries was her left arm. It had been shattered in three places and Akara had a difficult time resetting and healing all the bones. Though thanks to Stu's medical knowledge from our world and Dan's healing aura, she should be able to use her arm in time again. It was in a cast made out of hardened cloth and in a sling Dan had made out of his old punk rock t-shirt.

                She had other minor starches and bruises too but none of them proved to be life threatening at all. I replayed what had happened earlier that day in my head. 

                I was walking outside of the camp after a fight with Danny again. _'What a complete jerk.'_ I thought wandering around aimlessly.

                Only a mile or two away from the camp, I stumbled upon a small gathering of zombies. Without really thinking about it, I crept to rock and watched them through narrowed eyes. 

The festering creatures were moaning and limping around. Rotting, unrecognizable clothes hung off their bodies. A green liquid oozed out of sores and down their brown, bloody remains. Muscle tissue and tendons could also been seen in the joints where the skin had torn. Flies hung around the bodies, laying their eggs in the rotting tissue of the zombies.

My mouth twisted into a snarl as some unrecognizable hate arose within me. I took my sword out of its sheath and held it ready in my large hand. I watched for only a minute more then I jumped onto the rock.

Then something strange happened. I raised my hands above my head and brought them down in a mighty heave. A gust of wind, almost like a tornado, blew out from all sides of me. I leaped into the air with my short sword above my head. I rose above the zombies and fell right in the middle of them.

I swung my glittering weapon to my left with all my might. The sword sliced through the zombies body with a clean cut. I rose it up and cut off the same zombies head with my sword. Its blood ran down the blade and onto my uncovered hands.

I smelled the bitterness of the blood that oozed from the unmoving corpse of the zombie. A redness seemed to take over any image of the world that lay before me and I began a dance of death.

I whirled my sword to the right and brought it up as I did with the first zombie. The same affect happened again. Then I felt a small pick on my skin. Enraged, I spun around and slammed my fist into the zombies head. Then I brought my sword in for the final blow. I severed its top half from its bottom with my sword. 

I stood up panting. The redness slowly faded away and I saw my end result for the first time. The bodies of the zombies lay at my feet. Their blood slowly oozing into the earth, slowly killing everything around their final resting places. Without any regret in the killing I had down, I turned heel and walked away from the scene of death.

I wandered around lost in thoughts, not really going any where. I heard footsteps from behind me. Thinking it was more demons for me to kill, I pulled out my new long sword that I had found and stood ready for an attack. 

                "Who's there?!" I growled out to the threatening footsteps that continued to approach me.

                "A friend. I need your help." Replied a deep voice. I turned around and saw a huge man carrying Mo in his arms. He had to be somewhere around seven feet. 

                "Who are you?" I asked, ready for action. I couldn't believe what I saw either. The side of Mo's face was a deep shade of crimson red and her leg was twisted in an odd fashion. I wanted to run to her side but I didn't trust the man that held her in his arms.

                "As I said before, I am a friend." Said the large man. He had the look of a true barbarian to him and was wearing a jawbone visor. Scars ran deep in his muscular arms and legs. He slowly walked up to me with a slight limp and elegantly set Mo in my arms. I nearly dropped my sword in surprise. He smiled at her and ran his tough hand though her hair. 

                "Take care of her, I gotta go now. Good luck in the future, Larry. Stay true to yourself and never give up." He looked at Mo, one more time, with a loving look then left, jogging lightly to where ever he planned to go. 

Now I had a slight problem. I had a wounded girl in my arms and I couldn't put my sword away without dropping her. I carefully shifted her around until I had her head resting on my shoulder and I put my sword back into its scabbard then headed towards camp. 

It certainly went down hill from there. First off with Danny yelling at Stuart about the town portal. Aly, Jen, and Dru staring at me like I'm insane, and Mo was slowly dying in my arms. It was not a pretty sight.

                I gently brushed some of her hair away from her face. Her face was beaten and was bleeding from various cuts. "Someone, get Dan or Stuart." I said, pressing a clothe against one her larger cuts on her forehead.  "She's been badly wounded." At first they stood there in shock then Aly began to walk away. I could see the tears shimmering in her dark eyes. She stood apart from Dru, Jen, and I for a few minutes, probably trying to recollect herself.

Eventually she turned around and half yelled half sobbed. "Mo!" She rushed to her friends side. "You stupid baka, what'd you do now!" She said though sobs. The tears flowed freely down her face. She looked at me. Her eyes seemed to bore into my soul and read my mind and heart. Then she said in a soft, quiet voice, "What happened?"

"I don't know…" I mumbled, suddenly feeling ashamed for some reason. I carefully held Mo in my arms. Danny soon came running up along the path with Stu.

He cringed and shuddered. "Come on lets get her to Miss Akara. She can help us." Said Danny taking over the situation with a firm hand. I just nodded numbly and followed him. 

"Miss Akara, we need your help!" Danny yelled upon reaching the tent of the priestess.****

The priestess looked out of her tent and her first sight was Mo in my arms. "Oh, dear me. It's happened…" She mumbled then she shook her head and gave me a serious look. "Come, barbarian." She beckoned me to follow her. "Lets get her inside." Akara led me into her tent. It was rather big for its small appearance. "Set her down here." She pointed to a cot on the side of the tent. 

I carefully set Mo down there. I brushed some her hair out of her face. She looked at peace in her state though she was probably in great pain. I felt a sharp stab of pain in my heart and I stifled a sob. I looked up at Akara and waited for instructions. 

"Go outside and wait with the others. I'll be done soon." She began to pick up things off shelves and muttering things to herself

 I nodded stiffly, glanced at Mo, and then slid out the door. I was bombarded with questions but I didn't answer any of them, I just went to the fire. I sat down on an old, rotting log and stared into the orange flames of the blazing fire. My eyes began to water and wiped a dirty cloth that I used as a hanky over them.

Shaking my head, I came back to reality. I looked down at Mo. She was still unconscious. "I hope your okay, kiddo." I mumbled to her. The clatter of the meeting had died down and I concluded that the meeting had ended. 

I saw Aly walking over to me.

"Hey, Larry. How's she doing?" She asked worriedly. I had never seen her like this. She was usually bossy, sarcastic, and rude to me. This was a whole new side to her. The side that I probably would never see again.

"I think she'll be okay…How'd the meeting go?" I asked, running a hand over my close chopped hair. My stomach growled. I felt my cheeks grew red and looked down at my hands.

"We're going on the quest as soon as Mo is better." She sighed, tiredly. "I really wish I were home…I don't like it here." She handed me a bowl of fruit. "Here, you best eat. You sound like you need food." She sighed again and looked to the sky.

"Thanks." I mumbled. I slowly popped the little blueberries into my mouth. "I wish I were home too…but there's nothing we can do to get home until we save this world." I sighed and looked down at Mo again. She looked so peaceful…it was almost unreal considering how she could be for the most part.

"Yeah…How'd you find her?" She asked staring at me. Her dark eyes watched with the intenseness of a hawk watching its prey.                       

"Umm…well, I really don't know. It's kinda a blur." I lied. I knew what had happened. I didn't know what happened to her but I knew how I had found her. Thanks to the mysterious barbarian. He seemed oddly familiar but I couldn't place it in my head. 

I shook my head and looked up to the sky.

"Oh, okay." She said, then getting up and walking away. The sun was setting in the west over the horizon. Danny was talking to Stuart about the town portal incident earlier today and Dru and Jenny had disappeared with each other after the meeting.

The bundle of bandages beside me groaned and rolled over onto my foot. "Awake yet?" I asked, gently poking Mo in the side. 

She groaned and opened her eyes. She had blue/green eyes that changed at the oddest of times. Right now they were a brownish green.

"Care to sit up?" I asked. She merely nodded. I got a firm hold under her arms and pulled her up to a sitting position. 

"Arg…I really hate little blue men…" She mumbled leaning against my leg. 

A song popped into my mind, _Blue by Europe_ or whatever it was called. "Did they have blue corvette?" I asked cheerfully, trying to lighten up the mood.

"No…just daggers, torches, and fireballs." She said, now staring at the fire. Her arm wrapped around my leg to hold herself up and she was using it as a pillow. "Those are really annoying creatures, just like the little red demons."

"Carvers…" I mumbled. The name of the little blue demons just popped into my mind.

"What?" She looked at me curiously. Her trademark smile was on her face once again.

"Oh, I think that's what there called in the game. Err…I mean here." I said. I was a bit uncomfortable with her green-blue eyes staring intently into mine.

"Oh." She looked back to the fire and rested her head on her arm which was still on my leg.

"How's the leg?" I asked, carefully pulling a bit of her hair.

"It hurts. Did ya know this is the first I've ever broken something?" 

"Really? Interesting." I mumbled just twiddling with her hair and staring at it.                           

"I guess." She replied. I wondered what she was thinking. Then I thought better of it. She was probably thinking of a way to kill me next. 

_'I really do hate fireballs…'_ I thought to myself. The sun had set. I wished I had a watch. I wondered what time it was.

"Do you still have your cd player?" I asked, randomly. 

"Uh-huh, I stashed it earlier in the stash box." She replied. I saw that her eyes were half closed and she was still watching the fire burn away.

"Cool," I said without much else to say. "So…what happened to you anyways?" I asked, hoping not to get killed.

She looked up at me. Her eyes questioned my motives. She merely shrugged and started, "Well, after I didn't see you people in the cave of wonders, I walked around for hours on end trying to find a way out." She started sarcastically.

"Hours? You were only missing for 3 hours in all." I butted in, not catching her mocking.

"Okay, fine. I walked around for an hour looking for an exit. When I finally found one, I was in a completely different area from where we had entered." She took a breath and continued, still staring at me. Her keen eyes watched me for any reactions. "I think it was the Cold Plains. I'm not sure though. I found Jen and Dru there too. I stumbled onto the way point and used to logic to figure out how it worked. I told them and they went back but I didn't. I noticed six huge stones way, way off in the distance in Stony Field. My curiosity got the best of me and I went to check it out. I didn't get there though. I was mobbed by a bunch of blue and red demons. I fought as hard as I could but the fates didn't favor me that hour. Something hit the left side of my head and I fell. I remember seeing red, white, then black." She shuddered as she remembered her memory. "I remember strong, comforting arms though. I drank something that sort of helped but didn't really heal me and that's all I can remember." She sighed and put her head back down on my leg. She closed her eyes. She looked so peaceful…like an angel that had fallen from heaven.

"I see…" I mumbled taking in all the information she had given me and watching her out of the corner on my eye. _'Huh, interesting (A/n: _Boy do I seem to like that word…it's everywhere!_)…I really wish I knew who that dude was, now…' _I looked up to the dark sky. The stars shone brightly in their unfamiliar constellations. 

"I'm tired, I'll talk to you later." Mo said as she shifted into a comfortable position on the ground. I picked up an old, ratty blanket, since it was the only cover we had in this dreaded camp, and gave it to her, "Thanks, Sage." She mumbled. After a moment or two I heard soft, even breathing next to me. Her side rose and fell with the rhyme of a heavy sleeper. She was going to be sleeping for a long time it seemed.

"Guess I better follow her example." I murmured, preparing myself for a good sleep. I noticed Danny walking over to me.

"Hey." He said, in a hostile tone. His eyes glittered with anger and something else…

"Hey" I answered, glaring back at him.

"Thanks for taking care of her, but you can go and sleep now. I'll watch her." He said, stepping between me and Mo. He had his arms crossed over his chest and was giving me an all out glare of death.

I glared at him then shrugged, "Whatever, I was going anyways." I got up and walked to the other side of the fire. I grabbed another ratty blanket and spread it on the ground. I lay down on the blanket and looked at the sky. _'Hmm…no stars now, bet its gonna rain.'_ I thought to myself. After a moment or two I was asleep and in my dreams.

~*~*~

 Dream 

_                "Stop! Wait!" Yelled a soft female voice. The man from earlier that day turned around and saw what looked like an older Mo running towards him. "Hold on, Sage. Where are you going?"  _

_The man stopped and looked past her. "Away." He replied simply in a deep, rumbling voice. He stared off  towards the horizon._

_                "But why?" She asked, taking hold of his hand. This clearly startled him. She usually took no gestures towards him._

_                "Because I have to." He replied simply. The young women, who really did look like Mo though only older and what it seemed wiser stared at him with sad eyes._

_                "When will you come back?" She asked clutching his hand tightly in her small, thin hands. _

_                He looked down at her hands. They were etched with scars from battles and…other things. He took his other hand and put it over hers. "Soon, hopefully. The gods have called me." He replied now looking at her. _

_The woman was now crying softly. "So, you aren't leaving because of Danny, then?" She asked. Her blue-green shimmered brightly in the dying sunlight._

_                "No…We made an agreement, for now." The man ran his hand though the woman's long brown hair. He slowly twisted a strand around his figure. _

_                "Please come back in one piece and here," She placed a small, blue tinted  ring into his large hand. A small silver chain was attached through the center of the ring. "Take this."_

_                The man smiled and gently kissed the woman on the lips. "I'll be back, I promise." The man unclasped the silver and placed around his thick neck. He let go of the chain and the ring fell down and rested on his chest. He hugged the woman tightly, then turned around and left. _

_The woman cried softly as she watched him leave._

_                Another man walked up. He had a strong muscular build to him but was not as tall as the barbarian and was wiry. He also had a small beard. He placed his large, tanned hands on the woman's shoulders. "You know, There are times when I wish I could go back in time and make things up to him."_

_                "Why were you so mean to him before?" She asked placing her small hand on his._

                "Because I was a jealous, idiot and I was thirteen at the time. I wanted you and so did he. It's a man thing." He replied watching the sun set. He rested his chin on her head. His soft brown eyes were half opened.

_                "So I've heard." She mumbled. The sun set and the night took over. _

~*~*~

                "Raise and shine, Larry." Said Mo, shaking me awake. I flipped over, shooing her off. "You great lump! Wake up!" Shaking me even harder. "If you don't I'll…tap dance on your head!" She threatened shaking me.

                "Give up, Mo. He just isn't a morning person." Said Danny cooking some meat. 

Stuart was walking up with a pile of water. "Mornin' to you, ol' girl." He said then tripped over my sword. "AHH!!" The pail of water went flying and freezing cold water landed all over me and Mo.

                "YOU BAKA!! YOU ARE SO GONNA DIE!" She screamed. She had a demented look in her eye.

                "Nice person…" Said Stu, slowly backing away.

                "RAHH!!!" Roared Mo, raising her hand above her head. "FIREBALL!" A flaming ball of heat appeared above her head. She smiled evilly then she threw the fireball. It sailed towards Stuart and landed on its mark. His behind. Mo laughed evilly and chased Stu around throwing various items him, including my sword, ice bolts, Aly's new spear, Jenny's katar, Stuart's own dagger, and a frying pan.

                "HHHHEEELLLPPP MEEEEEEE!" Screamed Stuart, running for his life. Mo laughed insanely and kept on going. While Mo was on her killing spree, Aly and Jenny showed up with bread. They were happily chitchatting and munching.

                When they started to notice what was going on they started to cheer on Mo.

"WA-Who! GO MO!" Encouraged Aly, waving around the bread.

                "She's gone insane…" Said Jen, shaking her head, with a hit of a mischievous smile.

                "What ya mean? She's been insane from the time since she was born." Replied Aly, handing me the bread. "YEAH!! COME ON MO!! BLAST THAT LOSER OUT OF THIS CAMP!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

                "SOMEONE HELP ME!!" Screamed Stuart like a baby. Dru was carrying fire wood to the fire when he got run over by Stu then Mo. All the wood laid shatter about him. Jenny ran over to help him.

                "Are you okay, Dru?" She asked helping him up.

                "Grrr…Evil children." He growled out, collecting the wood.

                "Bravo! You finally found out what Mo truly is." Said Aly, running up.

                "She seems well. Her leg doesn't look broken anymore." Dru said, wiping dust off his leather pants. Mo was waving her hands around insanely throwing anything and everything she could at Stu.

                Now we all were standing in the same, small area. "Perhaps we should stop them…" Said Danny watching Stu and Mo bulldoze over Kashya. She didn't look too happy. 

                "They're getting out of hand…" Said Jen. Aly was still cheering Mo on.

                "I'll get them." I said. Grabbing my club, I waited for them to run in front of me. First came Stuart. With a heave of my arm I knocked him out cold with a thwack. Then came Mo. As she ran past me I grabbed her waist and held her a foot off the ground.

                "GRAHH! PUT ME DOWN, YA GREAT BABOON!" She yelled. Stuart crawled away like crab, while Mo was swinging her arms around trying to knock my brains out. 

                "Hehe, think your gonna do something there by waving around her arms?" I snickered at her. She growled. I set her down and she kicked my leg. "YOOW!! That hurt!" I snarled jumping back away from her.

                "It was supposed to." She stormed off. 

                _'I really don't understand that girl.'_ I thought rubbing my leg. "Damn that hurt…" I mumbled to myself.

                "Well, the foods done." Said Danny, running a hand through his brown hair.

                "YAHOO!" Yelled Aly and Mo at the same time rushing for the food. I limped behind them.

                "Oh no, it's the food demons…" Said Stuart glancing nervously at Mo. "I think I'll go now and eat my berries." He ran off with a bit of squeak. He was an odd little follow.

                "Umm…okay, well, lets eat." Said Danny. He passed food out to everyone. There was something about him that made me wonder. He was acting different from last night and yesterday. He sat down near the fire.

                "Hey, what's up?" I asked him, munching on my food.

                "Oh, it's you, what do you want?" He replied resting his head on his hands. He looked sad and frustrated.

"Nothing, just wondering what's up with you, today." I said chewing on my slab of meat. It was quite tasty.  
                We sat in silence.

                "I had a dream last night." He said after a moment or two. 

                "Really? Bout what?" I asked.

                "About you, out of the people in the world, and Mo." He mumbled into his hands.

                "Really?" I asked wondering if it was the same dream as mine.

                "We were on decks in a jungle. There was ship in the harbor at the moment. Me and you were fighting, again. Mo tried to stop us but I lost my temper and hit her across the face. She ran away crying. I don't really remember anything else." He said hoarsely. He seemed uptight about the dream. But it was only a dream right?

                "I see, well mate, I believe we best go and get on with this quest thingy, eh?" I said getting up, I offered him my hand. "Want some help?" I wondered about his dream but said nothing more on the subject. It was hurting him in ways I didn't know.

                "Sure, thanks." He grabbed my hand and I helped him up. "Well lets be going, Larry." He said walking towards the others. He seemed stiff and shaken.

                "Come on, you guys," The girls glared evilly at him, "Err, and gals lets go."

                "To where?" Asked Mo, her leg was completely healed thanks to Akara and the Sightless Eye or whatever.

                "Oh, that's right you weren't at the meeting. We're going to the burial grounds." Said Stuart. He almost seemed happy about this.

                "We are going to the WHAT?" Yelled Mo, attaching herself to Danny's arm. "I REFUSE TO LEAVE THIS CAMP. I WILL NOT GO."

                Aly sighed, "Oh, yes you are, you baka. You're the one who made me by this game and got me addicted to it like you. Its your fault I'm here, so you ARE coming with ME, kay?" She poked Mo in the side and that resulted in Mo falling over.       

                Mo stood back up and was reattached to Danny, "Uh uh. No go." We all stared her. I shrugged and picked her up and slung her over my shoulder. "YOU GO BABOON!! PUT ME DOWN!"

                "Uh, nope." I patted her foot. "Your coming with us, kiddo." She just growled and kicked my chest. 

                "Oof!" I grunted. She had nice right kick.

                Jenny and Dru were all ready gone and a town portal was up in the camp. "Lets go, dudes and dudetts." Said Danny marching on though the Town Portal. Stuart and Aly went next. Then it was our turn. 

                "Ready?" I asked. She just growled and hit me. "Guess so." I walked though the TP. It was an exciting experience. After stepping into it, the scenery was all blue and white with traces of other colors. "Oh this is so cool!" I said.

                "OH MY GOSH! GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Yelled Mo, hanging onto my neck and choking me. Then it all came to a stop. There was an opening. I walked though it and we were in the cold plains. Mo was still strangling the life out of me.

                "Let…*hack, cough* …go." I tried to say. She let go and I set her down graciously on the ground.

                "Where's my staff?" She asked looking around for it.

                "Umm…well, I didn't get the staff when I got ya." I said, then I handed her a new one. "But I found this in the camp."

                "Oooo." Was all she said. The staff at runes inserted in it and was a deep red color.

                "It's a fire staff." She said waving it around. "Inferno!" A jet of flames came out of the staff and lit my pants on fire.

                "OWE!!" I yelled, clutching my bottom.

                "Hehe, oops." Said Mo, smiling mischievously. Jen and Dru were chopping away things together while Aly, Stu, and Dan picked up red and blue vials from off the ground along with gold. "Hiya, guys!"

                "Hey Mo, here." Said Danny handing her 200 gold pieces. Mo dropped them in her pouch on her waist. I never really noticed what she was wearing until now. It was a green out fit. More her style then the LOD style of clothing. There was a green sleeveless shirt with gold trimmings, green, baggy pants, and a green leather cape. Over her outfit she wore brown studded leather armor. He cape was clipped on the leather. She also had on plain old brown leather boots which her pants hung over. With her shoulder length hair it gave her a wild, magical appearance. The others wore the basic LOD style from the game except the other girls. It was their own style of clothing not the LOD style.

                "Hey guys! We found the entrance!" Yelled Jen from across the clearing.

                "All right! Good job! Be right there!" Dan yelled back. He started running towards them while Aly and Stuart followed behind him swiftly.

                "Do I have to come?" Asked Mo, with a pleading look.

                _'And people think of her as blood thirsty…'_ I thought then I remembered why and replied, "Yes, come on, hope on my back. I'll carry ya there. Free ride."

                "Okay." She climbed on my back and wrapped her hands around my neck but she wasn't killing me this time. Making sure I held her securely, I started running off towards the rest of the gang.

                By the time we reached there they were fighting off skeletons. "DIE!!" Yelled Jen, bashing her shield against the head of one. It crumbled into a pile of bones and dust.

                "**Steigern mein servieren! Komme und Kampf ALS mich, mein Krieger" **Yelled Stuart raising another skeleton. He now had a small army of four skeletons.

                "My friends! Come to me!" Yelled Dru, a wolf and two ravens came and started fighting for him. 

Aly was having a little to much fun jabbing at things with her spear. "MWHAHAHAHA! DIE!" She said laughing evilly. 

Danny was chopping things with his sword. "Bout time you two arrived. Help us!" He said, taking a head off a skeleton turning the skeleton into dust and bones. 

                "With what?" Asked Mo, still on my back. All the monsters were dead. All that was left was piles of moldy bones lying in piles.

                "Nothing…" Said Dan then he looked at me and Mo and demanded, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, MO?"

                "Getting a free ride." She replied, coolly, resting her head on my shoulder. She sighed.

                "Well, get down. We need you to fight." Said Dan glaring at me. I noticed that the hostile look had decided to return in his eyes.

                "Okay." She said sliding off my back. "Where are we going next?"

                "In there." Jenny pointed to the dark and creepy graveyard.

                "EEK!" Shrieked Mo, "I AM NEVER IN THERE!"

                "Uh, yes you are." Retorted Aly. She grabbed Mo's shirt and started to drag her.

                "Uh, no I am not." Mo replied glaring at Aly as she dug her heels into the ground.

                "How much you wanna bet you aren't?"

                "My next dinner." 

                "Okay." Aly let go and walked behind Mo. "March." 

                "Why should I?" Mo asked. Aly jabbed the point of her spear into Mo's back. "OWE! DANNY STOP HER!"

                "Can't, babe. Sorry." He replied smiling. "Let's go!" He marched into the graveyard. "Onward to Victory!"

Aly jabbed Mo smiling wickedly.

                "Walk." She said simply.

                "I'M GOING!" She yelled running ahead next to Dan. The rest of us followed.

                "In there." Dan pointed to a broken gate that led into the graveyard. He climbed though it, followed by Mo and Aly, then Dru and Jen, then Me and Stu and his little army.

                "Welcome to my graveyard." Said an airy, sinister voice. "Prepare to join my army!" An arrow whizzed past Mo and nearly hit me. A hideous dead women in red clothing of the rogue style was firing at us with a bow.

                "Watch it, kiddo." I said to her. 

She just nodded and yelled, "FIREBALL!" And a flaming red fireball flew from her staff and hit a zombie, blasting it into thousand of fiery, charred pieces. She threw some ice blots too hitting various things including me. I was frozen in spot for a few minutes.

"Someone kill, Blood Raven!" Yelled Dan fighting off rotting zombies. Green, moldy blood was splattered on his armor.

"Got her!" Yelled Jen and Aly. They attacked with awesome power by double teaming the evil Blood Raven. An arrow was shot and missed me but hit Dru in the leg.

He gritted his teeth and kept on fighting. Stuart and his army were doing a fair amount of damage by themselves. He was a natural at being a general.

"AHH!" Yelled Jen as the Blood raven shot an arrow that hit her in the shoulder. 

"Jenny!" Shouted Dru fighting hard to get to her. Mo was there first whacking at things with her staff.

"Hey, ya okay?" She asked firing a few fireballs at stuff and unfortunately for me a fireball hit me in the butt. I ran around like an idiot trying to put out the fire while Mo chatted with Jen.

"Yes, just kill Blood Raven so we can go home." Said Jen, holding her shoulder as Dru reached her.

"Gotcha." Mo said. "DIE YOU WITCH! INFERNO!" A jet of red flame shot from her staff and engulfed the demon. I was standing right behind Blood Raven when Mo unleashed the inferno. I swung at Blood Raven taking off her charred head with my sword. All the rest of the corpses and skeletons fell down and broke apart. The corpses were oozing foul smelling green blood while the skeletons were piles of dust. A blinding light flew out of the corpse of Blood Raven freeing the tortured souls for the dead.

"Wahoo! We did it!" Yelled Mo jumping up and down.

"Yeah, I guess we did." Said Dan, leaning against a tree. A cut ran from his right eye to his left cheek.

"Dude, are you okay?" I asked him. He looked at me and nodded once. "Okay." Stuart mumbled something and the blue town portal reappeared. "Time to go, peeps." Dru was giving Jen a healing potion while Aly and Mo gathered up stuff.

"Coming!" Said Mo, carrying all sorts of junk.

                "Want some help?" I asked her. She smiled and dumped everything in my arms.

                "Thanks!" She went back and gathered up anything else useful. "Okay, I got everything Aly, lets go."

                "Kay!' Said Aly, hopping up with her arms loaded with junk. Stuart, Dru, and Jen were all ready though the town portal.

                "Come on you three. Get in there." Said Dan, pushing Aly and Mo though it. "Your turn." I hopped in to the town portal and went though its wild ride again.

                Aly and Mo were talking to Kashya  and were giving free gold for their services since they didn't want rogues.. They had dumped all the stuff in a pile. I dropped their stuff there too. It was a beautiful evening. It was early evening and it was decent weather though it was cloudy. I had a feeling it was going to rain tonight or tomorrow morning. Dan was sitting off by himself while Mo and Aly chatted away about whatever girls talk about to each other. Dru and Jen were at Akara's tent getting healed and Stuart was sleeping under a tree in the camp. His skeletons all unsummoned too. It was a good day. Hopefully our luck will stay good and we won't die till were old and wrinkled. I sat down and leaned against a log and stared at the clouds. I smiled contently. It was a good day.

~*~*~

                It is a good day? Larry seems happy. What was with the dreams of Dan and Larry? Did Mo have one too? Who saved Mo? And was it really Mo who dropped off all that stuff for the gang? Find out soon for only time can tell.

Onward to Victory!

~*~*~

Note: Cool! I'm done! What was with those dreams? Are from the future or something? And we still don't know how was that barbarian who saved Mo but I have a fair idea you people know who it is. Was that lady who gave them the free stuff really Mo? Guess you'll just have to wait and found out. ^_~  C ya for now! Hope you enjoyed reading this!

Disclaimer: Must I really disclaim everything in this story again…I own nada but me and my cd player…


	8. A Quest Unfolds, Told by Stuart Derhund

Chapter Eight  
  
By Hdogg  
  
Told by Stuart Derhund, The General Nerd  
  
A Quest Unfolds, Conflicts Arise  
  
Note: Hmmm….Well, what is there to say? Not much. The last chapter ended with Larry thinking, "It's a wonderful day." In the neighborhood. Oops, I didn't just say that did I? Ehh, well, I got questions that need to answered and a story to write. So, Onward to Victory!  
  
~*~*~  
  
The ominous sky was pouring out rain and I was soaked to the bone. "I bloody hate rain." I muttered to myself. I ran my hand thought my short dirty blonde hair. It was soaked just like the rest of me. My clothes clanged to my body. I had changed from my geekish clothing to a more Diablo two look. I was basically wearing what the Diablo two necromancer wears.  
  
"Hey! Could someone help me with this tent thingy!" Shouted Mo from across the clearing. She was trying to put up a large canvas so we would be dry. Everyone was soaked to the bone.  
  
"Yeah! Hang on!" Called out Danny jogging over to help Mo. "Hang on to that end and tie it down! I got this end!" He shouted over the howl of the savage wind. The rain was now pelting down from the east like needles stinging our skin.  
  
"Blimey, why couldn't it be sunny and warm? Blimey, it's cold too. It has to be at least forty degrees at here." I said to no one. Larry was at the blacksmith getting his equipment repaired, while Jen and Dru huddled in Akara's warm, dry tent. Aly was enjoying herself in the rain. She was practicing with her bow and arrows, which she really sucked at, by aiming at Gheed.  
  
"Stop that, you insane child!" He would shout over the wind. Aly just smiled wickedly and kept on firing at him. He eventually retreated into his wagon after barely being missed by a dozen arrows. "YOU INSANE WOMAN! LEAVE ME ALONE!" He roared as arrow was shot and got stuck in the side of his wagon. "WITCH!" He called out before locking himself up into his wagon.  
  
"Man…now there's no one for target practice anymore…Hey Stu!" She called out but I had all ready taking off to the pavilion which was mostly up.  
  
"That lady is bloody insane!" I shouted at Mo, who was helping Danny fasten the last corner of the tent structure.  
  
"Uh-huh. Danny move over a bit I can't hit the nail with your hand in the way." She said aiming to strike the stake. Danny quickly moved his hand and Mo drove the stake into the ground with a well placed hit. Aly came running into the pavilion with Dru and Jen close behind her.  
  
"Hiya! We need to get a fire going, ya know. It's freezing." She said helping to enclose the tent on three sides. Larry came back with his arms full with a pile of dry firewood in his arms.  
  
"Hey guys! Looky what I got." He said beaming as he dropped the wood into the center of the pavilion. "Charsi gave them to me. Cool, eh?"  
  
"Thanks, Lar. Just what we needed." Aly said picking up a few logs. She placed them into a log house formation. She also stuck pine needles in the center for kindling. "All right, anyone got some matches or a lighter?" We all said no. None of us had any of that. "Great…Okay, Mo, you were the Girl Scout. Work your wonders with a sword and some flint."  
  
"Hehe, the wondrous Girl Scout to the rescue, eh?" Mo said smiling mischievously. She grabbed Larry's sword away from him and pulled out a piece of flint. "Funny, I never thought this thing would be useful…except for throwing at Larry or Stu of course." Mo struck the piece of rock on the steel. Sparks flew and a few landed into the small bit of kindle in the middle of the logs. She quickly got to her knees and blew on the few sparks until they were merrily burning the logs. "The wondrous Girl Scout/Ranger rules again at wilderness survival skills. We praise me." Larry actually did praise her. We all looked at him strangely.  
  
"Wot, are you a ranger now too?" I asked turning back to Mo. A ranger was a branch off the boy scouts but you had to be fourteen to join them and Mo was only thirteen. Girls could join that branch too not just boys.  
  
Mo looked sheepish and replied, "Eh, well, I was a recruit…Not quite a Ranger yet…but I was in the Girl Scouts for countless of years. I did make it to senior scout, ya know." She triumphed over me. Larry gloated as he took Mo's side.  
  
"Bloody American…" I muttered out of the side of my mouth. That girl really got on my nerves at times. Acting all high and mighty at times then she's a whiney little witch when things got bad. "You do know, you could have used inferno or fire ball?"  
  
"Oh yeah! I remember now!" Mo said hitting herself in the head with her hand. "I'm a sorceress." The others cracked up at Mo.  
  
"Haha! You forgot! I can't believe it!" Said Larry clutching his stomach. Danny was laughing too but not as loud as the others. The tent was finally secured from the rain and was smug and warm. I didn't join in the laughing. I didn't see anything funny about it. Mo was just a stupid sorceress with a bad temper. 'And of course had fire balls to throw at me…'  
  
Aly jabbed me in the ribs, "Come, Stu, laugh! Isn't Mo a riot!"  
  
"More like an idiot to me." I muttered in reply.  
  
"Oh lighten ol' chap! It's just a bit of fun!" Said Mo slapping me on my back hard. She was grinning like manic(gee, isn't that a surprise?).  
  
"Owe! Damn it, girl. Watch it." I growled out, glaring at the mischievous witch. "I'm leaving. I'll be back later." I left the tent.  
  
"Stu! What's wrong, man?" Mo yelled out after me. I kept on walking to no where. After a moment or two, I looked up to find myself at Akara's tent. She was standing in the opening.  
  
"Come in, young general." She said beckoning me in. I followed obediently, like a lost puppy. "Sit down, please. Tell me, what's bothering you?"  
  
"I…uh…Why do you ask?" I asked. She handed me a small tankard filled with mint tea. I accepted it.  
  
"You seem troubled. Is there something bothering you about one of your comrades? Say the young sorceress?" Akara asked patiently. I was clutching the tankard tightly. My hands were white. Akara waited patiently for me answer her. I finally did.  
  
"Yes, it's Maureen, that sorceress. She's so rude, cruel, mean…bossy and there are other wonderful attributes to her too." I burst out.  
  
"You two seemed to be such good friends though. Why the sudden hostile ness towards the young girl? She's only a love struck teenager." She watched me intently with her bright yellow eyes. There were many secrets locked in them. Of happiness, of tragedy, of everything imaginable was sealed away in those yellow eyes.  
  
"We were friends once…She's turned for the worse somehow. She's changed since this the end of the school year. She was a nice quiet girl, read a lot too, but now…she's a loud mouth, bad tempered, evil minded, woman!" I exclaimed. I was also thinking, 'Love struck? Mo? Her? Really? Can't be…'  
  
"Did you perhaps think why she would acting this way?" The old woman asked me.  
  
"Well…no…" I looked at my hands. Then Akara explained the problem of my world, Maureen Wolfe. The woman of terror.  
  
"Maureen, your young sorceress friend, is going though a large trail of her life. She's faced with heavy decisions." Akara started calmly.  
  
"Like what? Her life is perfect. She even has two boys falling head over heel for her! What can be possibly wrong!" I broke in.  
  
"You stated the problem. The boys or young men how ever you think of them. Daniel and Larry I believe they're called. The Paladin and the Barbarian. They're the ones that are causing her great stress. She has to decide between them. She can't have both. You two should talk to her. There are many over things causing her distress too. Maureen will explain everything to a trusted friend but can you be trusted with what she has to tell you?" She said. I stared at her. Mo was stressed over two boys? This was new in the life story of Maureen Wolfe. And she is stressed over other matters? I wondered what else was bothering Mo. "You better be going, young necromancer. I hope you talk to you soon."  
  
"May the Great Eye watch over you and the rogues, Akara." I said to her bowing like an English gentlemen. When I was about to step out of the door I was shoved a side by Kashya.  
  
"Akara, we have a serious problem. Deckard Cain has been taken by those foul creatures from beyond the grave!" The soaked rogue captain exclaimed. The wind raged outside. "What are we going to do?!"  
  
"Let us send our young warriors." Akara replied with calmness in her voice even though her eyes twitched nervously.  
  
"Them? Send that bunch of hooligans? Are you insane?" Kashya voice raised to a screech. "We're putting the life of Cain in children's hands? Are you mad!? They can't even get along for an hour without someone trying to kill each other! The sorceress is breaking down as we speak over something. AND YOU'RE THINKING OF SENDING THESE CHILDREN INTO BATTLE!?" I was huddled in a corner of the tent listening to all of this. Rain was coming though the tent entrance, drenching me. 'I hate the rain. I really, really hate the rain.'  
  
"These children are perfectly able on taking on these demons. They're teenagers you know. Don't you remember your teenage crisis's?" Akara smiled. She had taken Kashya completely off guard.  
  
"Umm…well, that's not we're here to talk about." She stammered wringing water out of her brown hair. I was soaked now from head to toe. "We need to rescue Cain!"  
  
"Necromancer, come here please." Said the old woman. I slowly rose out of my little hiding place and waked nervously forward to them. "Do you think that you and your companions are able for this task?"  
  
I was standing in front of two very sensible women. I think one was insane too. I had a feeling if I agreed with one of them, the over would chop off my head or poison me when I'm asleep. "Well, m'ladies, perhaps I should talk this over with my jolly ol' chaps, wot?" The two seemed to agree with me on this.  
  
"Yes, that would a sensible thing to do. To talk it over with your mates." Said Kashya nodding in agreement with my plan.  
  
"I agree. Come back later and tell us what you have decided, young Necromancer." Replied Akara. "Tomorrow at the latest. If you're not here by noon or so, we'll come and find you." I hastily bowed to both and bolted out of the door. I ran over to the tent. Mo and Aly weren't there but everyone else was.  
  
"Guys," I started but Dan held up a firm hand.  
  
"Stuart, go lye down and rest. We will take care of everything in the morning." His voice was harsh. I didn't argue with him. I didn't noticed how late it was. It was the end of the third day we were here. I lay down on my straw pallet. Thunder roared outside of the small shelter. It was warm and cozy. It was all ready pitch black because of the storm raging outside. Lighting flashed every now and then while thunder rumbled in the distance. My eyelids grew heavy. I rolled over on my pallet and faced the fire. I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.  
  
~*~*~  
  
The next morning of the fourth day we were here, I woke up to the smell of sausages cooking. "Hmmm…Smells good. Who's cooking the food?" I asked sitting up. I noticed that Mo wasn't here but Aly had returned and she was cooking. I hoped she wasn't burning the food too.  
  
"Good Morning, twit. Nice to see ya awake. Now Mo can kill ya." She said taking the sausages off the fire. She handed three out to everyone but only gave me two. Larry and Dan were talking about something and, Dru and Jen, were chatting about their lives in the real world. It seemed that no one wanted to talk to me. I ate my sausages in silence and walked out of the shelter.  
  
"Weird…" I muttered to myself. "It's like I'm invisible or I'm at school again." The ground was soggy but the day was bright and sunny. It was a decent temperature about 60 or so. I tried to recall the date. It was spring back home and it seemed that the seasons in our world reflected here. 'Okay, it was February 28th when we got here so…it was March 3rd today since it ain't a leap year. Larry had just turned 13 in January and the next closet birthdays were…Jen's and Dru's on the 21st. Jen was going to be 15 and Dan was going to 14…Hmm…interesting." Amazingly, Larry who was only 5'5" in real life had grown two inches and gained a lot of muscle in the arm and leg area, so far. I noticed everyone else, including myself, was growing in some way or other. As freaky as that was, I thought it was cool. I wandered around until I saw Mo standing near the entrance of the camp. "Hello, I think. Are you planning to kill me?" I asked as I carefully approach her.  
  
"Perhaps." I noticed that she had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy like a rabbits. I remember what Akara had said to me yesterday about her. "Ya know, life is funny at times. One moment your on the top of the world, the next you sink down into a sink hole in the ground down to Hades." She shook her head and stared at across Blood Moor. It was a peaceful screen even though monsters roamed out there.  
  
"Yes, it is weird. Life can be full of adventure and yet, full of sorrow. Full of love and full of hate." I replied standing next to her. "You know, if you ever need a shoulder to lean on, I'm for you, ol' girl. Like ya also been for me."  
  
She sighed. "Yes, I know. That's why you're my friend and that's why I got you addicted to Diablo two like Aly and Jen. So we all could enjoy a nice game or two and not kill each other."  
  
'Not kill each other, ha. That's funny…' I thought to myself. "Yes, well, is something bugging you? Do you need to talk?" I asked genteelly.  
  
She smiled, "You always concerned about me aren't, twit?"  
  
"You're the same, you know. You never leave me alone until I tell you what's bugging me and you always seem to help. As in that one time when I got detention for something I didn't do and you cleared my name because you saw what had happened. It's a good thing that the teachers trust you a lot. So, now it's my turn to help you. What's bugging you?" I asked, standing next to her. She shook her head. I knew she wasn't going to tell me much but perhaps something that I could help her with.  
  
"You probably all ready know what's going on between Dan, Larry, and I. They want me to decide between them but how can I? They're both so wonderful." She sighed again. I could tell she was depressed. This issue had taken a lot out of her. Least she wasn't killing me this time, thank God.  
  
"Perhaps, you should wait and find out what your true feelings are. You never know what may happen between then and now. Don't you go making hastily decisions either. Just be yourself." Why did I just say that? "Relax and have a good time." And don't kill me.  
  
"Okay, dude, I guess I should trust ya." Then she thought for a minute. "Hey, wasn't that my advise to you about Mal?"  
  
I smiled slyly, "Perhaps, ol' girl. You never know." Thanks to her advice the incident went well and I got a girlfriend. Her advice usually always worked so well.  
  
"Why you little sneak. Your using my own advises against me, aren't you?"  
  
"Uh, yes? Err, I mean no. Wait, yes. DON'T KILL ME!" I begged as I started backing away. She laughed. It was a sane laugh which was good.  
  
"I ain't gonna hurt ya right now. Perhaps later, dude. Thanks for the advice." She hugged me and totted over to shelter for food. "I'M SO HUNGRY! GET OUT OF MY WAY, LARRY! FFFOOOODDDDD!" Well, she's better. I was a bit shocked of being hugged and not hit.  
  
"ARRG! THAT'S MINE YOU LITTLE TWIT!" Yelled Danny chasing Mo with his sausages in her hand.  
  
"MWHAHAHA!! MINE NOW! MWHAHAHA!" She run past me and winked. 'Oh yeah, our Mo is back and with vengeance.' Then I remembered about the quest.  
  
"Hey! Chaps! I need to talk to you now! I got some news!" I shouted over Mo's commotion. She was running over the camp with Dan hot on her trail. She was eating while running. She took a head drive into the ground but recovered quickly and kept on going.  
  
"Yeah? Really? What is it?" Asked Jen running over followed by Dru.  
  
"Get the others and I'll tell you, mate." I said sitting down on a wet log. "I can't believe I just sat down on a soggy log." Jen snickered while Dru dragged the others to the barren bonfire site.  
  
"All right, you, what's the news?" Asked Dan, trying to squeeze the life out of Mo. Fortunately, Aly whacked him and told him to sit down. Mo grinned evilly as she ate the rest of Dan's sausages.  
  
"We are now on day four of being here." I stated to them. They all nodded. "I talked to Akara last night about certain things." I related the incident of Kashya running in and telling Akara about Cain. Dan nodded gravely. The others sat in silence. "That's all I got to say. What shall we do, chaps?"  
  
"I say we go." Said Mo. Jen, Dru, and I agreed with her.  
  
"Hmm…there may be a slight problem here. It's probably gonna be a long trip to get to the Dark Woods then to the Stony Field again. We'll need vittles and a tent to sleep in if it rains again." Said Dan, thinking ahead. "But I'm not sure this is a wise decision."  
  
"Well, I say we go. We need Cain and I like sleeping in the wilderness. We can backpack it like they do in Rangers, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts. It would be a jolly ol' adventure, ya know." Replied Mo. Dan thought about it.  
  
"Hmm…Larry what do you think?" He asked the Barbarian.  
  
"Let's see. First, I think it's highly dangerous. Second, why do we really need Cain? All he does is give quests and identify stuff for you. And Third, I just don't like the idea of carrying the tent, since I'd probably have to." Larry replied. His answers made much sense, for once, and they made us think about what to do. Mo, Jen, and Dru were still up for it but now I was debating with myself on what to do.  
  
I played with the ground, pulling up grass and stuff. I was unsure of myself about this. I did think we should do this but the facts stated by Larry, minus the third one, also made sense to me. "Blimey, now you have me confused. I can't decide whether I should or not." I said to the gang. It was about noon when we having our discussion of what to go. Akara and Kashya came up to us as they said they would.  
  
"Hello, warriors. I hope you slept well. Have you come to your decision?" Akara asked politely.  
  
"Miss Akara, Lady Kashya," Replied Dan, acknowledging both Akara and the Rogue captain as they walked up to us. "We are at uncertain terms between ourselves about this and have not made up our minds yet. Dru, Jen, and Mo want to go. I do not want to. I believe, Larry wishes not to and Aly hasn't said a thing yet and Stu is now uncertain, thanks to Larry."  
  
"I told you. These children should not go! They can't even make up their minds, Akara!" Stated Kashya, brushing her hair out of her eyes.  
  
"Perhaps, us children, don't want to get killed, rogue." Growled out Aly, giving the rogue a death stare. "I for one, say we go. You guys do want to get home, aren't I right?" She turned around to look at us. We all nodded in agreement. Aly turned back to the rogue. "There. You have it. We are going and if you got a problem, rogue, deal with it."  
  
"Yeah! Go Aly!" Said Mo, jumping up and punching her fist into the air. She messed up her landing and landed on Dan. "Hiya Cutie!"  
  
"Good Day, Mo. Nice to see you." Said Dan smiling. Mo climbed off him and sat between him and Larry. Dan and Larry were glaring at each other again. Hopefully a fight wouldn't break out between them.  
  
"Thank you, baka." Aly replied sitting down on her dry rock.  
  
"Okay, we are going. First we need to take down that shelter over there and pack it for Larry to carry." Larry groaned. "We each have to carry out own provisions. We will prepare salted meat tonight and tomorrow. I need you all to do that and find dried fruit for a trail mix. We need to this as quick as possible. Every minute we wasted is another minute lost unto getting home. You got your instructions. Lets get moving, people."  
  
Akara and Kashya smiled at each other. They left us silently walking back to their posts.  
  
We took down the tent first. Which wasn't too hard. We undid the canvas from the ground first. I tried to pull out a stake and when I did, I feel backwards and the stake went flying. Mo got hit in the head by the flying stake that I pulled out. She didn't know it was me but she was steamed. I made sure I stayed well away from here, just in case. Aly, Jen, and Mo folded up the canvas while me and the boys up rooted the poles and laid them down next to the stash box. While we were up rooting the poles, the girls were trying to kill each other, again over how to fold the canvas.  
  
"ALY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Yelled Mo as Aly tried to fold the canvas. "THAT'S NOT HOW YOU DO IT!" They got into a yelling fight then into a fist fight. More like a karate fight with Mo. She was kicking and jabbing with her fists at Aly. Aly was ducking and weaving.  
  
Jen yelled at them, "YOU TWO IDIOTS! STOP THAT!" She tried to stop with force but Mo and Aly started killing her while trying to kill each other. Us boys, watched in amusement. Dru was cheering for Jen, Dan and Larry were for Mo (who could have guessed they would do that?) while I was cheering for Aly. Dan and Larry were still holding the fifty pound stake on their shoulders, while jumping up and down and cheering on Mo.  
  
Mo kicked at Jen then punched at Aly. Aly blocked the attack but Jen unfortunately was kicked in the jaw by the insane Mo. Scarlet blood flowed from Jen's lip from where Mo had hit her. They finally stopped killing each other after Mo had knocked out Jen by kicking her in the head with a back round off kick. Jen's bottom lip was bleeding and so was her head right above her eyebrows. The gash was deep across her forehead. The blood flowed freely out her wounds unto her dark clothes. I noticed she was wearing something different from her usual set of clothing.  
  
She wore a short sleeve black t-shirt, black pants, black heavy boots, and she wore black gloves also. It went well with her black hair and green eyes. It gave her a dangerous look of an assassin.  
  
"Oh, shit! Jen are you okay?" Mo asked trying to help Jen. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to seriously hurt ya." Jen woke up after a couple buckets of ice cold were poured on her by Dru. He kneeled beside her. He pressed his white sleeve against her forehead.  
  
"Mo, remind me to never get ya mad again. You go berserk and are really dangerous." Jen said, rubbing her jaw which was now one bring bruise.  
  
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt ya! I meant to kill Aly!" Mo cried out. Jen waved her off and limbed over to Akara's tent to get healed. Aly and Mo came out with minor wounds.  
  
"You're so kind Mo…" Mumbled Aly checking over herself for wounds.  
  
"I know I am." Mo replied. She had a cut from her shoulder to her elbow on her right arm that was healing quickly thanks to Dan's healing aura. She also had a cut across her cheek. All Aly had was a deep cut on her left leg. Danny's healing aura was healing her also. Aly folded the rest of canvas and shoved it into a sack which would strap across Larry's back for him to carry. At least I didn't have to carry it but I was the weakest boy here too. Which I am thankful for now.  
  
After Dan lectured the ladies about their little engagement in combat, it was well past dinner time and it was dark. I had found some fruit earlier while Dan was lecturing the girls and a bird and I was making a Birdie Cherry Berry Roast. The food demons arrived when they smelt the food from all over camp. The others were preparing for the trip by buying us provisions that we needed and backpacks for the vittles, blankets, and other things we had to have for this quest. The fire was dying again. I added more wood to it. Mo and Larry were hovering over the food drooling like two dogs. Aly sat sanely next to me but I could tell she was hungry too. After the food was done cooking, the food demons scuffed their food quick while the rest of us ate it calmly. We all had to protect out food from Mo too.  
  
After dinner, Dan told us for what we were going to do tomorrow. "Akara has kindly donated us dried meat, dried fruits, cheese, and bread for our trip. Now, I have stuff here that needs to be given to you. It was left by a friend of ours two days ago I believe. Aly, you have all ready picked up your stuff so stay where you are." Aly was edging for a ring and amulet but sat back down grumbling. "Now, Mo, you come here and get your ring, amulet, and helm please." Mo walked up and took her equipment. "The ring adds to your skills by +2 and the amulet adds +50 to your mana but I believe you can't use those yet, so I suggest you stash those. The helm is a normal helm. Thirty defense." Mo walked over to the stash and put her stuff into there. She also put on her helm. I sat patiently waiting for my stuff. "Larry, this maul, belt, armor, and…thing are for you." Dan held up the thing. I knew what it was. It was an assault guard for the barbarian. Dan read the piece of paper he was holding. "This says it has 45 defense then adds 30 to your defense, adds one to all your skills, and 6% life and mana stolen per hit. The maul is Bonesnap, I think you know what it does cause you have it on your barbarian on battle.net. The belt is mesh belt and the armor is one hundred and fifty defense."  
  
Larry put on his armor. It was plate mail. The assault guard gave him the look of a true warrior. He put on his belt and attached potions to it and picked up his maul. "How do I look Mo?"  
  
"Like a warrior and quite handsome too." She replied twiddling with her ring. She was wearing her old ring. We're still not sure what it does. Mo didn't have her helm on at the moment.  
  
Dru picked up an Alfa wolf head helm, scale mail, and an amulet that added to his summoning skills. Jen received a unique wrist blade and a circlet like Aly's. I received a new wand that added two to all my skills, chain mail, and wormskull which I couldn't use yet. Dan got new armor, a war hammer to use, and boots. After he had given everything out he told us to get some shut eye before. Tomorrow was going to long day. We were to leave by the way point to get to the cold plains at noon. We would pack tomorrow morning.  
  
"Good night, chaps." I said. Everyone muttered something different to me. I was tired. There was an exciting day ahead of us tomorrow and I could wait for it. I drifted into sleep with no dreams and no nightmares. Just a restful slumber.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Tomorrow will be an eventful for our warriors. The fifth day in the world of Diablo two. They have adapted quickly to their settings in order to survive. But will they survive in the wilderness they have to travel though to get to Cain? Who will Mo chose as her boyfriend? The courageous Paladin, Danny? Or the Mighty Barbarian, Larry? Did the fight between the "ladies" affect their relationship with each other? Only time will tell in this tale of fate.  
  
Onward to Victory! Is their battle cry.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Note: So…Is it getting better? I would love to hear suggestions on making battle screens seem more realistic. Anything is welcomed to improve my story. I hope I got ya hooked on my fishing line so you'll keep coming back to read my story. Well, Hope you enjoyed it so far. Chapter Nine will come soon. And I believe its Dru Berry's turn to tell the story. Time to get inside his head. Well, Ja Ne, peeps! Hope you come back for the next chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: This is getting on my nerves…I don't own nada. Kay?  
  
Onward to Victory! 


	9. Into the Depths of the Night, Told by Dr...

Chapter Nine  
  
By Hdogg  
  
Chapter Told By Dru Berry  
  
Into the Depths of the Night  
  
Note: Hiya! I don't have anything to say today (Dru: Thank you! Hdogg: Buzz it or I'll make you…get run over by Mo! Dru stares blankly at Hdogg:…you're a baka and an insane writer… Hdogg: Thank you!) so on with the show! Erm, Dru if you ever read this story, I would love to know that! BTW, please tell me how I'm doing!  
  
Disclaimer: I ALWAYS forget this thing. Quite sorry. I DO NOT OWN DIABLO TWO AND BASICIALLY EVERYTHING IN THIS STORY. Except of course myself. ^_~ I'm also own the Midnight Stalkers cause I made them up off the top of my head.  
  
Onward to Victory!  
  
~*~*~  
  
I woke up before everyone else on the fifth day we were stuck here in this supernatural world. I rolled over onto my back and stared up at the beautiful crisp, blue sky. Larry was snoring to my right. He sounded like a cannon in a war. 'How annoying' I thought, while Dan was getting up.  
  
I sighed and stood up. "Buenos Dais, Dan." I said to the paladin who was waking up the rest of the gang. He poked Aly with his sword to get her up.  
  
She glared at Dan and said, "Poke me again and I'll shove that pretty sword down your throat." Dan backed away and woke up Jen and Stu by shaking them.  
  
"Jolly good morning chaps, wot?" Said Stuart stretching and going off to prepare us breakfast. Jen was half awake as she staggered over to me.  
  
"Hiya. How long have you been up?" She asked pleasantly as she sat down next to me.  
  
"Oh, a few minutes or two." I replied watching Dan pour ice, cold water onto Larry.  
  
"WHOA! What the hell just happened?" Roared the muscular blonde. Dan quickly threw the pail over to me and said that nothing had happened. "Then why am I wet?"  
  
Dan smiled and said, "Who knows?" Then he very cautiously went to wake up Mo which was a disaster waiting to happen.  
  
"He's gonna get it." Jen wisphered in my ear. I nodded in reply. I noticed that Mo had "burrowed" Dan's shield for a pillow. She was sleeping with an evil little smile on her small face.  
  
"Mischievous little twit." Jen and I heard him mutter. Larry had disappeared to find dry clothes, still wondering what had happened to him. Dan very carefully shook Mo. After a few attempts at that, he gave up when he saw no results. He gulped and used the method he had used for Larry on her. Mo woke up with a start and was growling like a mad hound. Unfortunately for Dan, Mo was a bit quicker in thinking then Larry.  
  
"YOU LITTLE BEAST!" She yelled at him and checked her watch. "IT'S SIX AM IN THE FREAKING MORNING! HOW DARE YOU WAKE ME UP AT THIS UNGODLY HOUR!" She roared as a fireball sprang in her hand.  
  
"Um, yes, well," Gulped Dan as he slowly backed away from the steaming girl. Mo glared at him and banished the fireball. Dan let out a sigh of relief when his shield hit him in the head. CLANG! He dropped like a rock as Mo growled, "That's what you get for waking me up at an ungodly hour, boy." She stormed off towards Charsi to retrieve her weapons.  
  
While Dan was out cold, Jen and I took a walk around the camp. I asked her, "How do you stand moving all the time with your mom in the Air Force?"  
  
She shrugged, her bright green eyes looked distant. As if she were some where else. "I don't know. It's a part of my life." I sighed. It was hard to talk to Jenny at times. She was taciturn usually. She almost always had her nose stuck in a book.  
  
I looked up towards the sky. Clouds formed and deformed. Always moving, 'Kinda like Jen…' I thought to myself. Jen and I had always been friends but in the last few days I felt as if we had become closer then ever before.  
  
"Dru?" She stopped and leaned against a tree. "What's your life like?"  
  
"Umm," Her question took me off guard. "I grew up in New York all my life, like I told ya before." I sat down and leaned my back against the tree Jen was leaning against. "I went a public grade school and I'm a junior at Park Side View High School."  
  
"Were you ever in a gang?"  
  
I stumbled over my words in my head. Trying to find the right ones. "Well, I…I am..." Memories swarmed in my head. Late nights out in the streets with guns and drugs. I felt Jen's eyes on my back as I looked at my pocket knife. I felt ashamed of the fact now. "I'm part of the Midnight Stalkers." The Midnight Stalkers was a notorious gang in Manhattan that caused much mayhem in the dead of the night.  
  
Jen was silent for a moment and asked me quietly, "Why did you join the gang, Dru?" A loud crash came from across the camp accompanied by loud bangs. "Uh oh." Wisphered Jen as she hurried to see what had happened. I slowly got to my feet and looked up towards the sky again. The clouds were thickening into dark rain clouds. I looked away and hurried off towards Jen.  
  
When I arrived Mo was throwing various things at a small army of rotting Zombies that had penetrated into the camp. Aly was slicing and dicing the rotting corpses with a lance. A small army of four skeletons was attacking also with Stuart commanding them. Dan and Larry were fighting back to back to protect Mo while she threw fireballs, ice bolts, and other things at the attacking monsters.  
  
I quickly summoned two wolves and three ravens to fight with me. "Attack my friends!" We all charged at the attacking horde of beasts. "DDDIIIEEE!!" I yelled hacking at the zombies. The rouges of the camp were helping us with back up fire with their bows. I saw Jenny kicking and punching zombies if they came to close to her. She charged at them and killed several at once. Her battle spirit strengthened mine and I fought harder then I had ever before.  
  
I hadn't noticed until it was to late. I was surrounded by the flesh eating corpses. My animals friends were fighting valiantly to reach me and protect me but failed. I looked fiercely at zombies sounding me. There was no way out. "ONWARD TO VICTORY! DIE YOU FIENDS!" I yelled at the zombies before I charged straight into them. Their rotting hands grabbed at my flesh trying to draw me into their grasps. Slashing with my short sword and bashing with my shield, I kept them at bay for awhile.  
  
Jenny had heard my battle cry and was attacking the rotting beasts to get to me. "Hang in there, Dru!" She yelled over the battle sounds. Rotting figure nails dung in my skin like nails. I screamed out in pain as a zombie clawed at my back. I felt my knees weakening under the strain of trying to hold up my body. 'I must fight. I must protect my friends. I must protect Jenny.' I thought to myself. I raised my sword and cut off the arm of a zombie and whirled around and slashed at another one. I stumbled and fell over hitting my all ready battered face on a sharp rock. It dung into my cheek. I heard footsteps next to me. I tried to lift my arms to protect myself but I couldn't raise even a figure to right back. I looked about me. I saw the bodies of the walking dead lying all about me, oozing green, and rotting blood into the ground. I felt my own blood slowly seeping out of me in different areas. The sounds of the battle faded away into nothing. All had ceased as the last zombie was disposed of. Someone turned me over so I was facing Dan and Jenny. Jen looked so sad. I wondered why. Darkness started taking over my vision slowly. I closed my eyes and relaxed. I felt cool drops of water slowly fall onto my battered face. I wondered if it was tears or the rain. Thunder clashed out in the distance. I heard a small, sad voice calling out for me. Trying to call me back. I listened to it for a moment then everything fades into nothing…  
  
~*~*~  
  
This eventful day has turned into a sad one. Did Dru die or is just unconscious? Has Jen and Dru fallen into the trap of love? Questions will be asked and answers will be given to those who wait patiently for, Only time can tell in this tale of love.  
  
Onward to Victory!  
  
~*~*~  
  
Note: **sniff** Poor Dru. Poor Jen at that fact. I feel like crying now. Why did I have to write such a sad chapter? **sniff** But isn't life cruel that way? It always takes the things you love most away from you. Sorry if this chapter was a bit short but ya know that's the way the ball bounces. I think Jenny is entitled for the next chapter of the story. It seems we're gonna be stuck in this dreadful rouge camp for a while more. Cain is just gonna have to wait. There's a new twist in the plot.  
  
(Ya know I think listening to sad songs really doesn't help my story. ^_~) 


	10. Sorrows of the Heart, Told By Jenny Ramo

Chapter Ten  
  
By Hdogg  
  
Told by Jenny Ramo  
  
Sorrows of the Heart  
  
Note: **sniff** It's so sad…Poor Jenny. **sniff** Well, I can't leave you hanging for a while. Time to write…  
  
Another Note: I got an idea from a person that reviewed my D2 story and I will take her/his advice and skip a few quests because this story is going to take a long, long time to complete. It should be done by next year around Christmas or so. Sigh…My poor friends **sniff** Guess I gotta write this.  
  
Disclaimer: Ya all know what I own and do not own.  
  
Onward To Victory!  
  
~*~*~  
  
"ONWARD TO VICTORY! DIE YOU FIENDS!" I heard Dru yell over the sounds of the battle. I swiftly turned around taking off a zombies head in the process. He charged straight into the zombies attacking valiantly.  
  
'I have to get to him.' I thought franticly in my mind. Bringing down my katar, I sliced the gut of a rotting corpse. It's intestines fell out. I shrank back for a moment then remembered what Dru was going though. "Hang in there, Dru!" I yelled over the sounds of the battle. I fought my way though what was left of the army of zombies. Tripping over the dead of the walking dead, I fell into the dirt. My head landed on a dead zombie. Trying to not lose my lunch, I quickly got to me feet and raced over to Dru.  
  
I stumbled a few times before I actually reached him. He had hit his face on a jagged rock. "Dru…" I said quietly tears welling up in my eyes. Dan and Larry stumbled over. Aly and Mo were supporting a battered Stuart. The skeletons and summoned animals were gone. Dan knelt down next to Dru and genteelly turned him over.  
  
He was a sight. Dru's head was a mass of blood and his clothes were all bloody too. I also knelt down next to Dru on the opposite side of Dan. I was on the verge of tears. It started raining. Slow, fat drops of water fell on all of us. It was as if the sky decided to cry too. "Dru…" I whispered. I ran my hand along his face. His eyes fluttered open for a moment and looked at me and Dan then closed again.  
  
I never was one who expressed feelings very well. 'Dru, please stay with me. Please don't die.'  
  
Even though I only knew Dru as a person for five days, I've known him for well over five years from the Internet. He was always there to listen to my problems and help me with all my moving. I never knew he was in a gang until today but I wondered at times when he would leave at ten after talking to me. He was like my older brother but after the past year, our relationship with each other started to change to something different.  
  
'Dru, please don't leave me. I have so much I still need to tell you…' I looked up to Dan. Thunder rumbled off in the distance. "Dan, can you help him?"  
  
"I…I don't know…" He muttered. His healing aura was surrounding all of else at the moment. "We shouldn't move him from here…He could injure him more…without meaning too…" He seemed troubled with this.  
  
The rain was coming down harder, cleaning the blood off Dru's face. I clutched his hand hoping to help him in some way. Aly and Mo had taken Stu to Akara and had returned to help me and Dan. I wasn't sure where Larry was and I didn't care. All that mattered to me was Dru at the moment. My short, black hair was plastered to my head now and clothes clung to my body because of the rain  
  
"Jen…Are you okay?" Asked Mo kneeling down next to me, putting her hand on my shoulder. Tears slowly rolled down my face as I sat helplessly. There was nothing I could do to help Dru. I felt as if I had failed him. I shook my head. Mo turned to Dan and asked him, "Dan…?" He shook his head sadly. There was nothing he could do. I knew my friends were trying to comfort me, in some way or other.  
  
I felt a sudden warmth though my body. Kind of like I just got into a nice, warm bath. I looked at my hands and to me surprise they were glowing! "What the…" I heard Mo mutter. The wind picked up considerably.  
  
A small but auditable voice wisphered on the wind, "Receive the gift of healing, noble assassin. Save the one you love…" The voice died as the wind stopped for a moment but picked up again. I was puzzled but I placed my hands on Dru's chest. The warmth in my hands flowed out of me and into Dru.  
  
I didn't realize that I went into a trance until I woke up in Akara's tent. "Wha…? Where am I?" I sat up slowly and looked around. It was still raining outside. The rain making a steady droning sound. I saw shelves of jars, books, and scrolls. Then I noticed Dru lying to my right. Stuart was sitting up also.  
  
"Uhh…I feel horrible…" He grumbled lying back down. I heard him snoring after a moment or two. I pushed myself off my cot and stumbled over to Dru.  
  
"Dru…" I wisphered shaking him genteelly. He mourned. "Dru! Your all right!" I cried out and hugging him.  
  
"OWE!" He yelped, opening his eyes. "Jen?" I loosened my grip on him and nodded. He smiled and wisphered softly, "How you feeling?"  
  
"Happy and sore." I mumbled resting my head on his shoulder. I was still kneeling on the ground too. The position I was in was a bit annoying but I didn't care. I heard voices beyond the curtain separating the patients from the guests.  
  
"How they doing, Miss Akara?" Asked Dan in his all ready deep voice.  
  
"The necromancer should be ready to go in a matter for an hour and that goes for the same as the assassin but the druid needs time." Replied the old woman. Her voice was strained from healing the three patients.  
  
"Hmm…Perhaps Jen and Dru should stay here until Dru is healed properly then we could send a town portal to pick them up and refresh our supplies." Daniel stopped for a moment then continued, "He could send us a raven so we know their ready."  
  
"Shall I get the necromancer then?" Asked Akara.  
  
"Yes please." Dan replied. I hurried footsteps coming quickly. Not wanting to be  
  
caught as I was, I jumped up which caused me to sway some and got back into my bed and closed my eyes quickly. Just as I closed my eyes, Akara arrived and woke up Stu. After Stu grumbled some and they both left silently.  
  
"What happened?" Asked Dru. I opened my eyes and crept out of my cot again. I sat next to his cot and leaned against it. "You know after I got hit and stuff. All I can remember is darkness and you…"  
  
"Uhh…" I racked my brain for the right words to say to him. His large hand found its way to my hair and was playing with it. "I can't really explain it…I'm not that good with words…"  
  
He sighed, "Then I'll try to explain what happened to me. I remembered blacking out and hearing you call my name then…then it got weird. At first, I was floating above my body watching you and the others. You and Dan sat there helpless then Mo came up and knelt next to you. Then it really got weird. I heard footsteps walking up to you and the wind started to pick up. A…spirit, I guess you could say, came to you and wisphered, 'Receive the gift of healing, noble assassin. Save the one you love…' Then everything went black again…" He stopped for a moment then continued, "I…I woke up and I saw you. You were in trance I think. You swayed but Mo caught you before you hit you the ground. That's when I noticed how much pain I was in…My most serious wounds were healed but everything else still hurt like heck." I sat there listening to him. I remember the wind and the warmth in my hands.  
  
'How…how did I get this…power? It's so strange…' I thought staring at my hands. They weren't glowing anymore but I could still feel the power in them. I curled up on the ground. Bringing my knees to my chin as I tried to sort out these things swarming in my head.  
  
"Jen?" A brown head looked in at the entrance of the small hospital.  
  
I smiled, "Hey Mo. What's up?" Mo walked in kind of nervously.  
  
"Umm…Well, I'm just here to tell ya that we're leaving. We're taking the way point to the cold plains and are gonna try to get to the stony field before night. It's early in the afternoon so umm…I guess we'll see you later…" She muttered. I could tell something was wrong but I knew she wouldn't talk about it. She had a tendency to keep most of her true emotions bottled up inside her.  
  
"See you later, Mo. Come back in one piece please." I said to her. I saw a mischievous gleam in her eye.  
  
"Just me or the whole gang?"  
  
I shook my head and tried to keep from laughing, "You little twit. You better bring everyone back in one piece."  
  
"And if I don't?" She retorted.  
  
"Hmm…Would like to meet my katar or my fist? I could kick you too." I answered smiling wickedly.  
  
She pouted, "Fine, fine. I'll bring them back but I can't promise you nothing."  
  
I chuckled and waved her off, "Get out of her you little rouge."  
  
"No problem. See ya, you two." She dashed off to the rest of the gang.  
  
"See ya, twit." Said Dru.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Quick Note: Hey all! We're gonna skip some time here, if you don't care, and we're gonna fly to about a week in the future, kay? Cause I really need to get rolling on the Cain quest here. And seeing that no one objects (gets hit in the head by a frying pan by a few fans) Erm…Seeing that a few of you don't like this, I promise I won't do this frequently k? (People glare but nothing comes flying) Okay, thank you! (Sneaks slowly away to continue writing)  
  
~*~*~  
  
One Week Later (March 11th)  
  
It was decent day today. A bit on the nippy side but still decent. I walked around picking up some firewood for the fire Dru had started. The last week had gone by fast. Dru had healed well but he stilled had a cut on his right arm that needed to be healed.  
  
I sighed. 'Healing…A gift that I have been granted but why?' I had stopped and leaned against a tree. 'Guess me and Mo do have more in common then I think…We both can't express our true emotions to those we love…' I watched Dru as he sat next to the fire sharpening his pocket knife. Sighing again, I pushed myself off the tree and walked over to Dru.  
  
"Jen, could you set the wood next to the fire for me please?" He asked without looking up from his work. I nodded and dropped the stuff by the fire. I sat next to him on the ground and sat Indian style.  
  
I asked him quietly, "You never told me why you joined the Midnight Stalkers, Dru." I looked over to him. He had stopped sharpening his knife and sat rigid. "Dru?" I asked with concern.  
  
"I, um, Jen, I really don't want to talk about this." He had been avoided the subject all this last week. There was no body else in the camp and I wasn't going to let this opportunity go flying out an open window.  
  
"But I do." He started to get up. I grabbed his hand. He turned and looked at me. I grasped. He looked very different from the Dru I knew. His light brown, shoulder length hair waved in the wind, wildly and his eyes, his beautiful brown eyes, had changed. He looked like a demon. "Dru…?"  
  
He shook me off, "Leave me be, Jenny." I opened my mouth to say something but he had all ready stalked away. 'I guess life can never be like a book…There's never a happy ending.' I closed my mouth and stared at the fire. All my thoughts kept wondering to Dru no matter what I did to distract myself. Getting fend up with myself, I went to a tree and started skillfully punching at it. I needed some touch up on my martial arts moves and this was a good time as any to do so. I tried to clear my mind and concentrate on the task at hand. Punch, jab, block. I repeated the process a number of times then started kicking the tree with a roundhouse kick then stepping into a block. I kept this up but it didn't work. All I did was get myself sweaty. Letting out my breath, I leaned against the tree and crossed my arms. 'If only life was like a book…' I thought watching the clouds.  
  
I took out one of my books I had stored in a small backpack. It was my strategy guide to Diablo Two. I flipped though the pages nonchalantly. A shadow cast over me blocking my light for reading. I looked up and saw Dru standing in front of me. He looked absolutely horrible. "Dru? What's wrong?" He just stood there staring off into the distance. I pushed myself off the ground and walked towards him. "Dru?" He seemed to snap back to his senses.  
  
"Jen, I'm sorry about earlier." He mumbled out of the side of his mouth, as he stared at the ground.  
  
"Why won't you tell me?" I asked. I reached out and touched his arm genteelly. He cringed at the touch and backed away.  
  
"I just don't want to, okay?" He yelled at me leaving me speechless. "I just don't to want to talk about it? Do you understand that?" I backed away. I was hurt by his words. I shook my head and walked away from him.  
  
'Life is not a book…nothing ever works the way you planned it…' Dru realized his mistake but I ran from him.  
  
"Wait! Jen!" He yelled out after me. I just ran out of the camp into the Blood Moor. I knew it was dangerous but I didn't care. I cast 'Burst of Speed' and ran as far as I could.  
  
I stopped finally when I reached a small patch of trees. I set up a few fire traps and climbed up the tallest tree. I grabbed one limb after another until I reached the top. I surveyed the area I was in. I saw in the distance the camp and I saw a group of rats to my left. Nothing I couldn't handle. I leaned against the trunk letting my legs dangle from the branch I was sitting on. "Why are emotions so hard to express…" I wisphered to myself. I closed my eyes. Images of home and my mother surfaced. I smiled as memories of Mo, Aly and me in after school care messing around or me and Mo playing our game boys. "If only life was like a book…neat, planned, and nothing ever going off course." My eyes snapped open as I heard one of my fire traps go off.  
  
"Ahhh!" I heard someone yell. I swung out of my tree and onto the ground with cat like ability. I saw Dru smashing my fire trap with his foot.  
  
"Stupid thing." He looked around and called out, "Jen! Jen listen to me please." He took a few steps and tripped over a root of a tree. "Jen, please! If you're out there, please answer me!"  
  
"Why should I?" I growled out. I stayed behind my tree as I watched him.  
  
"Jen, look, I'm…I'm just scared of what may happen." He stammered out trying to get up.  
  
"Scared of what?" I wisphered but the words were caught by the wind and he heard them.  
  
"I'm scared for you. If you know too much about this gang or about me…things can happen. It's dangerous." He said looking around trying to find were my voice had come from. "I don't want to hurt you or get you hurt."  
  
"You all ready have hurt me, Dru." Tears were welling up in my eyes.  
  
"Jen…I," His voice choked as he tried to hold back sobs, "I'm an idiot. Please just trust me…I'll tell you everything one day. I promise. Please try to understand…" He wisphered. He was in a pitiful state on the ground. The roots of the tree was tangled around his foot. I crept out of my hiding place and untangled the root from his foot. I stood up when I was done and gazed across the silent moor. It was dark now. The moon and stars shone brightly though.  
  
"Perhaps, Dru. I'll try for now." I wisphered as I helped him up. I trusted him and I knew he was serious. He turned his back on me and looked towards the camp. "But why did you have to get involved?"  
  
He sighed and answered, "I was twelve when I was accepted into the gang." He stopped for a moment and looked at the sky, "I joined because I felt the need to be accepted into something. It was foolish, I know but now I can't get out of it…That's why it's dangerous for you to know this." I grasped the situation now. "You were my only true friend even though you lived in Nebraska at the time but I felt the need to be accepted by the world…" I understand clearly now what was happening.  
  
"Oh Dru…I'm sorry." I wisphered. I turned and faced him. He turned around the same time and I ended up running into his chest. We both said "Sorry" at the same time. I blushed too. I wasn't sure what he did because it was too dark to see.  
  
This was the first time I really noticed how tall Dru was. I estimated at least six feet tall. I was rather short compared to him at five foot five. "I guess we should be getting back to camp." He said reaching for my hand.  
  
"Ya, I guess so." I clasped his hand and we started walking. I heard something behind us. "Dru." I was stopped short as his hand went over my mouth.  
  
"Shh." He led me over to a small stone wall for protection. It was crumbled in spots but offered some protection. "Rats." He muttered in my ear. I frowned. Clouds covered up the moon and it was hard to see. Dru moved away from me and I looked around for him.  
  
"Dru!? Where are you?" I hissed out as quietly as I could. I heard growling from where Dru was supposed to be. "Dru?!"  
  
::Don't worry.:: I heard in my head.  
  
"What the heck? Did I just happen to drop into a Herald of Valdemar book with Vanyel?" I wisphered.  
  
::Hardly. It's just me…as a werewolf.:: Dru said in my head.  
  
"Umm…okay…" I heard him chuckle in my head. I heard him howl to my left. "Dru…this is turning into one of my books…"  
  
::The shape shifting or the falling in love?:: I blushed.  
  
"Umm…both." He chuckled.  
  
::DIE!!:: He yelled in my mind as he sliced and diced the pack of rats. ::Hehe, that was easy.::  
  
"Ya that's nice." I sat behind the rock straining to see when I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Eek! What the heck?"  
  
"Hehe."  
  
"DRU!" I screamed turning around sharply.  
  
"Oof!" I hit Dru in the stomach and knocked him over. I fell too, right on top of him. "Hmm…Interesting situation we seem to have gotten ourselves into."  
  
"Umm…Yeah." I got up. "Let's go why don't we?"  
  
"Sure. Come on." He grabbed my hand and started walking with me trying to catch up. Without any further interruptions we finally made it to the camp. "I'm tired how about you?"  
  
"Uh-huh." I mumbled as I stumbled over to my sleeping pad. I feel down on top of it and was asleep in a matter of seconds. If I was still awake, I would have noticed Dru smiling as he threw a blanket over me to keep me warm during the night but I was, of course, in lala land.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Wake up sleepy head." I heard Dru whisper in my ear.  
  
"Drop dead…" I mumbled pulling the blanket over my head.  
  
"Sorry, can't do that." He yanked my blanket off me. I mourned. "Come on. I just sent my raven and we got to get ready to meet up with the others. It's only six AM."  
  
"Fine, fine. I'm getting up." I stood up and stretched. He patted my head and disappeared to retrieve my armor and weapons that he taken to get fixed the night before. "How long until they get here?" I looked around, shrugged and fell back asleep.  
  
"JEN!" I heard a voice squeal. I mumbled something and rolled over. Mo ran over to me. "JEN!! HEY WAKE UP!" She yelled in my ear. I sat bolt right up.  
  
"I'm up. I'm up. Where's the fire?"  
  
"Hehe." She gave me a hug "Come on! Let's go. We're gonna leave without you."  
  
"What?" I mumbled rubbing my eyes. I let Mo help me up and lead me towards the town portal. "Whoa, hold on there. Where am I going? What time is it?"  
  
"Why to the Dark Frost and it's noon." Said Mo smiling a little too much for my own confront. As we reached the portal, I saw the gang waiting there impatiently for Mo and me.  
  
"Uhh…okay, I think." She dragged me into the portal. "I didn't even have breakfast or lunch yet…" I groaned.  
  
~*~*~  
  
The comrades finally reunite and get ready to save Cain. It seems that love is in the air with Dru and Jen. Life isn't like book unfortunately. Will Dru and Jen's love blossom into a beautiful flower? Or will it be trampled by winter's icy feet? Only time will tell in this dramatic tale of love.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Note: Yeah! I'm done! This was fun to write. ^_~ I love playing with emotions. Give me something to do for fun. Hope Everyone likes this chapter and sorry about the time jump but it was needed unless this would be five thousand pages long before I got to act two. So, see you later! Byebyez!  
  
PS: I think I'm cracking up….  
  
PSS: Oops almost forgot next to tell the story is…Daniel Ale. 


	11. The Scroll Tree, Told by Daniel Ale

Chapter Eleven  
  
By Hdogg  
  
Told By Daniel Ale  
  
The Scroll Tree  
  
Note: Ah, good. We're all reunited and happy. Time to rock and roll!  
  
Disclaimer: Must I really disclaim this story again? Blizzard owns everything, I own myself and my friends own themselves. There ya happy?  
  
Onward to Victory!  
  
~*~*~  
  
I paced beside the portal. Mo should have gotten Jenny by now and been back. 'I wonder what that little twit is up to.' I thought.  
  
Larry was hacking at a tree with his sword and club, while Aly was practicing her aim with her bow and arrow. She wasn't too good either. Stuart and his nutty army of skeletons, and now a golem, were going over strategies. Dru was patiently waiting beside the portal, tossing an apple up and down.  
  
"Oh, where the heck is that girl?" I growled out to no one. I heard a twig snap underneath something. Pulling my sword out of its scabbard, I whirled around only to find myself face to face with Mo. "Where the heck have you been?"  
  
"Heh, no where." She smiled me and walked around me. Jen followed her and went to Dru. I sighed and a little smile appeared on my face.  
  
I shook my head. 'Whoa, what's up with me?' I thought. I glanced over to Mo. She was talking to Larry. A new a feeling arose in me. 'Oh, great. Now, my emotions are seriously running haywire. I'm jealous now…' I sighed again and sat down on a rock. 'I really must be going insane or something…' I heard Mo's soft laugh. I looked up and found her looking at me.  
  
"Having a rough day there?" She asked sitting on the ground next to me.  
  
"Yeah, kind of, I guess." I mumbled in reply.  
  
"So, should I take that as a, 'Yes, I feel horrible.'?" She replied her eye twinkled mischievously like always.  
  
"Yeah." I replied staring off towards were the Tree was. I heard her laugh again.  
  
"What's so funny?" I asked a bit harshly. She smiled again as she looked into my eyes. "Okay, something's up here and I would love to know what it is."  
  
"Perhaps, I'll tell you later and perhaps I won't tell you at all." She got up and left. I stared at her for a while getting lost in my thoughts. I didn't notice that I had fallen asleep until she woke me up.  
  
"Huh? What is it?" I asked instantly a wake. I reached for my sword. I never was a heavy sleeper like Mo and Aly.  
  
"Well, if you would like to know. We are ready to get traveling to that tree thingy." Mo replied helping me to my feet.  
  
"Oh, that." I muttered. I yawned and stretched. I heard soft laugher behind but when I turned around there was no one there. "What the…" I mumbled turning to see Stuart in my face offering me some food.  
  
"Here. You should eat before the 'Food Demons' find the food." He said handing me the pastry that he had made. I looked at it and shrugged. Taking a bite, I was surprised how good it tasted.  
  
"Fhot id dis?" I said with my mouth full of the delicious pastry.  
  
Stuart understood me and replied, "Oh, It has some meat and fruits in it. Ol' family recipe."  
  
"I see. It's good." I replied as I scoffed the rest of the pastry. Stuart disappeared to somewhere. Larry walked up to me. I was surprised at how tall he was getting. We had only been here for about two weeks and he had somehow gained six inches and was very muscular now.  
  
"Hey, dude. What's up?" He asked me. He crossed his arms over his broad chest and looked down at me. "We gonna pack up or leave the camp up?"  
  
"Hmm…Let's leave it up. Ask Jenny to set a few traps to keep our stuff safe, Kay?" I replied glancing up at him. A lock of his blonde hair fell over his eyes.  
  
"Gotcha dude." He replied walking off in long strides. I was amazed at how he had changed. I turned around and ran straight into Mo.  
  
"Umm, excuse me." I mumbled. I had knocked her down to the ground. I reached out my hand to help her up. She smiled sweetly and took hold of my hand. I genteelly pulled her up. "You okay?"  
  
"Yes, thanks." She almost walked away then turned around. "I almost forgot to tell ya that…umm…you know what never mind." She walked briskly away.  
  
"Sure…whatever babe." I whispered to her back. Her hair fluttered behind her as she walked into a tent. Sighing, I finally started moving around our temporary camp. Larry and Aly were munching away on their pastry by the campfire. Stu was still preparing more pastries for the journey to the tree, which wasn't very far away. Jen and Dru were nowhere to be seen at the moment. "So, ready to hack some monsters into pieces, guys?" Aly glared at me, "Err, and gals."  
  
Mo skipped into view. "Yup, yup. Ready as ever." She said bouncing over to me. I noticed that Mo had standardized her armor to fit her personality. It was a bright green and with black embroidery in it. Her staff was strapped on her back.  
  
"What'd you do to your armor?" I asked. My mouth was slightly hanging open as I stared at her. I had to take a second look at her. She had changed so much since we first got here. Her personality was still the same, but her outward appearance had changed.  
  
Her hair was still brown with blonde highlights just longer now. Her eyes still had their familiar sparkle. She had at least grown two inches since we got here and was slimmer then before even though she ate like a horse. I knew she wore glasses and contacts but sense we got here she hadn't been seen with her glasses. If you looked closely at her eyes, you'd notice she wasn't wearing her contacts either. It was as if the game had corrected her eyesight. It was so weird. Jen and Stuart still wore their glasses but they kept wearing them less and less. Everyone had changed because of the game even myself. It was getting weird but still it was pretty cool.  
  
"Heh. I charmed it to reflect my personality." She said smiling her mischievous little smile. Now my mouth was really hanging open. My eyes felt as if they were going to pop out of my head. She laughed softly at me and smiled a sweet smile instead of her usual one. She winked at me and walked away.  
  
"Whoa. When did the twit learn that trick?" Asked Aly. She looked impressed by what Mo did.  
  
"Got me." Larry replied stuffing another pastry into his mouth.  
  
"Come you two. Round up the gang and lets get this scroll thing for this dang quest." I said to them. Aly disappeared to round up Jen and Dru while Larry stuffed five more pastries into his mouth before getting Stuart and Mo.  
  
I waited for about five minutes before I saw Dru, Jen, and Aly walking towards me. After another minute, I saw the other three coming up towards us.  
  
"All right people. You ready?" I asked them. They all nodded. "All right! Let's go before its dinner time." Stu's army of minions arrived at his word and they started marching. A pack of wolves and three ravens came to Dru. He petted a wolf and started off also. Aly and Larry followed behind. Jenny set her traps then ran off to join Dru.  
  
Mo looked at me and asked, "Are you coming?" I smiled and hurried off with her towards the rest of the group.  
  
About an hour later, we arrived at the Tree of Inifuss. We all looked around. It was awfully quiet and ominous. CRACK! A branch of the tree broke off and almost fell on Aly.  
  
"Eek!" She yelped as she quickly dogged the branch.  
  
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.  
  
I turned around but I saw nothing.  
  
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.  
  
I scanned all around us with my eyes. Mo was standing next to with her eyes closed in concentration. The others looked around. I heard Stu gulped. His skeletons and golem spread out to protect him. The Dru's wolves started growling and snarling at the tree.  
  
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.  
  
There it was again. I looked around. "Ouch!" I yelped. Mo clutched my arm with a grip like iron. "What's wrong?" She was looking up at the tree. I looked up. "Oh shit." I gasped out. I heard gasps all around me. The others had noticed the Gargantuan Beasts in the tree also.  
  
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.  
  
In the tree were five gigantic beasts. Four of them were gray but the biggest one's fur was golden. They stood at least at seven feet. Their eyes gleamed a bright, dangerous green from the dark tree.  
  
The golden beast sat on branches that were twisted into a seat. Scars enlaced across his broad chest. Heads of orcs, humans, wolves, and other things sat on poles beside his throne. The stench of blood drifted to my nose. The foul stench from the Tree made my eyes water.  
  
Upon this beasts head was a crown of steel and topazes. Above his head sat the scroll we sought.  
  
The beasts started chanting something. Mo's grip on my arm tightened, cutting off blood to my hand. The sky darkened. Day became night.  
  
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.  
  
A voice ranged out like thunder, "I am the Lord of the Tree. All who approach me die! I am Lord Treehead Woodfist! Hear my roar!" A deafening sound rang out. The shrill, loud roar chilled the marrow in my bones. "Who dares approach my Tree!?"  
  
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.  
  
I gulped and spoke up in a loud, clear voice. "I, Sir Daniel Ale of Delaware, dare approach your Tree, Lord Woodfist." I heard a roaring laughter from the tree.  
  
"A puny human dares to approach me tree?" The laughing grew louder. "Prepare to die, human!" He roared jumping out of the tree in a deafening crash. He brandished a gigantic axe in one hand and a great sword in the other.  
  
"Danny, let me help you." Mo whispered in my ear. I shook my head.  
  
"No, this is my battle, Mar." I replied. He grip loosened on my arm but didn't let go. "Mo," I turned to face her. "Let me," I stopped short when Mo kissed me lightly on the lips. She pulled away and looked at me.  
  
"Don't die, Danny." She whispered softly before letting my arm go. She stepped away and into the gang. The beast laugh roared out again.  
  
"Weak, foolish humans." He laughed. I was still stunned by Mo's kiss. I turned back around and faced the beast with a dazed look. There was some rustling in the tree and the other four beasts came out and stood behind their Lord. They all snickered. "Raahhh! Die foolish human!" He roared charging at me. I raised my Concentration aura and charged.  
  
"Onward to victory and home!" I yelled. I jumped high into the air and brought down my sword upon his axe. He stung his axe and set me flying into the tree. I slammed into the tree. I gritted my teeth against the pain and stood up once more to fight. "I will not be beaten. I will go home." I growled charging once more. Lord Woodfist swung at me with his sword. I ducked and rolled under his swing and swung, with my sword, at his legs.  
  
"Owe!" He yelped jumping up into the air. I had cut his left leg. The gash was to his bone.  
  
The beast Lord dropped his sword and it nearly cut off my head. My eyes widened when I saw my reflection in the blade of the sword. The blade was as big as my head! I swallowed and stumbled back to me feet.  
  
"You'll pay for that, you worthless human." He growled at me. "Die, you worthless being! Raahhh!" He screamed at me swinging his giant axe around. I was up against the tree when he swung his axe at my head. I ducked again and his axe got stuck in the tree. I maneuvered around him and got into a battle stance to prepare myself for his next charged. I stood there and nothing happened. I relaxed my stance some. The beast was still facing the tree. I felt something was up in my gut.  
  
Lighting struck a nearby tree. I heard someone yelp in the background but my mind did register the voice. I felt something grab my ankles. 'What the heck…' I looked down to see vines twist around my calves and working up. "What the hell is this?!" I yelled trying to wiggle free. The Vines got tighter and I heard laughter from the Tree where the Tree Lord was.  
  
"Haha! Foolish Human! You think you can beat me with just a sword?! You need more then that! Haha!" His minions snickered with him. Anger arose within me. I fought but the vines kept getting tighter around me legs. The vine was up to my waist. I hacked at it with my sword but nothing worked.  
  
"Grah! Let me go, you stupid vine!" I yelled. The vine suddenly let go. I heard chanting behind. I turned around to see Dru with his eyes closed and his hands stretched out before him. I turned my attention back to the vine. It crept slowly back into the ground and disappear. "Whoa…" I wisphered in admiration.  
  
The lord beast roared in fury and charged at me, waving his wicked axe. "You human scrum ball! DIE!" He brought the axe down upon me. I jumped in the air to avoid the axe and grabbed a tree branch. I was lucky I jumped when I did. A second longer standing there would have meant instant death for Lord Woodfist's axe had spilt the ground in half. I gulped.  
  
After a moment of dangling from that branch, I regained my courage and dropped from the tree. I picked up my sword from where I had dropped it and charged at the beasts back. I didn't yell anything to alert my coming. Jumping up into the air, I brought down my sword down on Woodfist's head just when he had turned around. He opened his month to yell something but all that came out was a grueling growl.  
  
He dropped to the ground with a thud. Red blood gushed out of the open wound on his skull. My sword had split his skull in half down to his nose. My friends took care of the other four beasts. I dropped my sword and stood there staring at the carcass of the beast I had slain. My knees gave away and I fell to the ground. I used my arms to break my fall. I stared at the ground. Blood from a cut on my forehead slowly dripped on to the ground.  
  
"Danny!" Yelled Mo, rushing over to my side. "Oh, Danny. Are you okay?" She asked, tears welling up in her eyes. I pushed myself up into a sitting position. I winced at the pain in my legs. I smiled at her.  
  
"Yeah. I'm cool." I replied. She threw her arms around my neck and stared to cry on my shoulder. A wave of emotions flooded my mind for a moment. Trying to control myself, I asked her softly, "Hey, there. What's wrong?"  
  
"I was so worried…" She mumbled into my clothes. I held her there for a while before Larry walked up towards me. His face was a cold mask of hatred and jealousy.  
  
"Hey. We gotta get to the scroll." He said glancing up to the throne in the tree. Blood covered his armor. He still had his sword in his hand.  
  
"Yeah." I muttered, not really listening to him. My thoughts were mostly centered around the girl I held in my arms. She had stopped crying but still clung to me. She seemed afraid to let go. Her face was still buried in my shoulder.  
  
Aly walked up and looked up the tree. "I'll get it." She said and took off into the tree like an acrobat. She climbed up to the throne and grabbed the scroll from its resting place. Before climbing back down, she grabbed a few gems from the throne and stuffed them into her pocket. She swung down from branch to branch and landed on the ground like a cat. "That was easy." She opened the scroll. "Uhh…let's just take this thing to Akara, kay?" The wind picked up and her hair blew around. "Hey, look how dark it is…" She said looking up towards the sky.  
  
The clouds parted and we all saw the stars and a full moon. "Whoa…I didn't think it was this late." Said Stuart. His army of minions was gone. In place of his wand, he now had a dagger too.  
  
Maureen finally let go and looked up, "Well, lets go. I want to get out of here." Her voice rang out in the darkness. We agreed silently. We stumbled our way back to camp. Once we arrived there, we all fell upon our mats and fell asleep. Unfortunately for us we forgot to set our watch. I thought about it for a moment then changed my mind. What could happen to us?  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ah, our companions have the scroll. Finally, we're on a roll. What could happen to our warriors? Nobody knows. Only the Lord above knows the future. Maureen seems to have chosen Danny but you never know. Will they become a couple? Or will Larry do something risky to get Maureen for himself? Nobody knows… Only time will time in this tale of love, hate, and destiny.  
  
Onward to Victory and to Home!!  
  
~*~*~  
  
Note: So…did I do good? Was my battle screen good? I tried…but it's my first time actually writing one…I hope I did good. Please tell me. I tried really hard on it. So, any comments on Dru/Jen or Mo/Dan or Mo/Larry? I need to know what you think. It really helps me here ya know. So, please review and stay tuned for the next chapter. Onward to Victory!  
  
Next teller shall be…Larry Sage. This should be interesting… 


	12. Funky Nights, Told By Larry Sage

Chapter Twelve  
  
By Hdogg  
  
Told By Larry Sage  
  
Tristram, City of the Dead  
  
Note: Hmmm…Wonder how you kill the spaces in stories…Evil…**looks up from her computer** Eer, Hi! Sorry about my ramblings. I'm just getting angry at FF.net and my EVIL Dragon Ball Html page…How the hell do frames work? Eer, never mind. Well, lets get started.  
  
Disclaimer: Blah blah blah… I own me and that's it.  
  
Onward to Victory!  
  
~*~*~  
  
A loud bang resounded though out all the camp. I woke up with a start. "What the heck was that?" I mumbled. I heard yelling from the other side of the camp. Quickly grabbing both my sword and club, I jumped up and ran over to the noise.  
  
"YOU!! HOW DARE YOU WAKE ME UP, YOU UGLY BEAST FROM HELL!" Yelled Maureen swinging her staff around and knocking Carvers out left and right. "I WANNA SLEEP AND I'M GOING TO! NO ONE IS GONNA WAKE ME UP AGAIN!" She roared throwing her famous fireball. The little blue beasts ran for their lives. She was acting like a steamed up moose that was just disturbed.  
  
"Whoa…Nice Mo…" I said to the steamed up teenager, backing away from her. She glared at me. "Umm…" She smiled and extinguished her fireball she was holding. She looked around and laid back down on the ground. In a matter of moments she was dead asleep. "Umm…okay…" I muttered as Dan came running up along with Aly.  
  
"What happened here?" Dan asked, giving me an ice cold look.  
  
I shivered and glared at him. "I don't know. One moment, sleeping beauty," I pointed to Mo who was smiling mischievously in her sleep. "Is fighting and the next she's sleeping." I heard Aly laugh.  
  
"Yup, sounds like Mo. I'm going back to sleep." She said laughing. She walked back to her tent and went back asleep. I shrugged and turned around` to go back my sleeping mat, under the stars of the night. I felt Dan's cold glare on my back all the way back to my mat. It gave me the chills.  
  
I laid back down and stared up at the sky. I found Orion's belt and Sirius, the Dog Star. I smiled as I saw other familiar constellations. 'It's weird…We're in a completely different world and the Stars and the Moon are still the same…' I watched the sky looking out into the vast darkness. The stars twinkling like diamonds in coal. 'The night sky seems familiar and yet…it doesn't…' I closed my eyes and listened. I heard owls and wolves off in the distance, the soft breathing of my friends around the camp, and the crashing of steel against steel.  
  
My eyes snapped open. 'The clashing of steal against steel? That's not normal.' I sprang up to my feet and grabbed my sword. Racing off towards the commotion, I was joined by a very sleepy Dru.  
  
"What's going," He yawned, "On?"  
  
I replied as I ran, "No clue. Let's see." He yawned again and followed me. Arriving at the scene, we saw Stuart being strangled by a gigantic boa constrictor. Stu was bashing his shield against the snakes head and rock. 'Oh, it wasn't steel against steel…I get it now.' I thought watching Stuart. Jen arrived on the scene too. We just stood there watching for a minute or two.  
  
It was rather hilarious to watch Stu battle a boa. Stu, with his legs pinned together, was sitting up right bashing himself, the boa, and a rock with his battered shield. He was shouting some rather nasty words, that I probably shouldn't repeat, too. We finally snapped out of our trance when a dazzling blast occured.  
  
The loud explosion and light blow me, Jen, and Dru off our feet. "Whoa…Cool." I said getting back up. I looked towards Stuart to see that the boa was a BBQ snake. "Neat." I said picking up the charred snake.  
  
"You, you." I looked behind me to see who was talking to me.  
  
"Yikes!" I yelped, taking back by Stu's appearance. "What'd ya do?" His hair was sticking straight up and in his hands were brightly, colored balls of energy, I think.  
  
"You, you, idiot!" He spat out, glaring at me. "I could have died and you stood there like a stupid ape!" The balls of energy flared in his hands as he continued. "What is wrong with you people? I could have died! I am not a strong beast like you nor can I do much magic like Mo." I backed away slowly.  
  
"Ummm….Dude, look. I meant no harm." I said inching away from the mad blonde. My own blonde hair was getting into my eyes.  
  
"You didn't mean no harm." He said mocking me. "Well, try this." He threw a ball of energy at me. My eyes widened as I saw the ball of energy coming straight at my face. I gulped and ducked, throwing my arms over my head. I expected the ball to hit my head and arms but it didn't. I looked up and saw a bright figure standing to the right of me. Stu glared at the figure.  
  
'This is getting a little freaky on my opinion…Stu throws energy balls, Jenny can heal people, now who's next in the line of getting new, strange stuff…' I thought as I straightened my body. "Ouch!" I yelled. A throbbing pain went though out all my head. "Stupid tree." I growled out, glaring at the tree branch that I had hit my head on.  
  
"Stuart…" The glowing on the figure died down. The figure was Mo! (no really, Larry…who could have guessed…) Stuart glared at her. Another energy ball sprang instantly into his hand.  
  
"Don't you start with me. Don't you even dare." Hatred enlaced his face as he glared at her. Mo's eyes were sad but determined to stop anything that happened.  
  
"Stuart, please listen to me." Mo started but was cut short when Stuart unleashed an energy ball on her. She sidestepped it and looked sadly on to her friend. "Stu…I'm sorry about school and stuff…I never meant to hurt you…" Her voiced trailed off.  
  
"Yeah, you say that now but do you really mean it? What if tomorrow you forget that and you start acting like a cheerleader (no offense to no one but I really dislike cheerleaders…I've had bad experiences with a few. **grumbles** Evil witches…) again?" He retorted back at her. I watched from the sidelines, wondering what was going on between them.  
  
Mo looked at the ground and said, "I know…I know I've made a few mistakes regarding my friends in the last few years at school and…I really regret the choices I made. I lost my true friends and gained one's that only care about material stuff that you own…" Stuart's energy balls died away.  
  
"You should have never gotten involved with that crowd, you know. It wasn't a wish decision." He said, crossing his arms over his chest and looking like a mother giving her daughter a lecture. Dan had finally arrived and was looking at Stu and Mo curiously. The only person not at this lovely picnic was Aly. She was probably dreaming about her Anime men again.  
  
"Yes, I know…" Mo said staring at her boots. Danny stepping in between them and demanded.  
  
"What is wrong with you two, now?" Stuart looked at him and walked away. Mo just stared at the ground with her hands behind her back. He shook his head. Mo stared at the ground for a while longer then left. Jen and Dru disappeared also. "What do you want?" Growled Danny.  
  
"Nothing, dude. Chill out." I said. I turned around and walked back to my mat, leaving Danny staring at nothing. I sighed and lay back down. The stars were so beautiful on clear nights. The logical part my mind kept whispering that the stars were only balls of gas in an ever expanding universe. Science always takes the beauty out of things that are wonderful. My eyes grew heavy as I watched a shooting star streak across the sky. In moments I was dead asleep, dreaming about the wonders of God's creation.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"LARRY!" Yelled a high pitched voice in my ear.  
  
"EEH!!" I yelped jumping up from where I had laid. I looked at Aly. She had an annoyed look on her face. "Ummm, Good morning."  
  
"Get the tents. We're moving out." She growled out at me. I stood for a moment before walking toward where the tents were.  
  
"Great…I get to drag the tents back to the camp…" I groaned. I picked up two tents and strapped them onto my back then picked up the large one.  
  
"Larry!" Yelled Mo, waving her hands in the air. "Come on, dude! Let's go!" I shifted the wait some on my back and headed towards the bouncy girl. She probably ate our sugar for breakfast this morning again.  
  
Upon reaching them, I said, "All right. I'm here. Let's get going."  
  
"Ya k!" Said Mo bouncing up with a blue scroll in her hand.  
  
Stuart seized the scroll away from her. "Uhh, no offense, Mo, you'll just screw this up." Mo pouted and kicked Stuart. "Ouch! You little witch!" Mo grinned mischievously and stuck her tongue out at him. He glared at her and Mo glared back at him but still had a small smile on her face.  
  
Danny stepped in between of them, "Okay you two. Be nice little kids and hurry up." He said to them. I stood there all the while with the heavy tents on my back.  
  
"Come on! Hurry up! My back is gonna break you guys." I said, grunting under the load that I bore.  
  
"Ya K." Mo backed off and away from Stuart. Stuart muttered something incoherent and started chanting to open the Town Portal. In a moment, the portal opened, we saw Akara standing at her tent and Kashya cleaning her bow. I walked though first grunting under the weight of the load on my aching back.  
  
In the portal I went. I thought the portals were the coolest things in this freaky world. With all the colors and stuff. I looked around the portal and actually saw other places. Marshes, deserts, mountains, all sorts of stuff.  
  
"Whoa…Cool." I mumbled watching everything flying around me. Then it all came to a stop and I was out of the portal, in the camp. I sighed and walked over to the camp fire and dumped the stuff there. I stretched my arms and back while the others came. Dan was after me, then Mo, Aly, and Jen, then Dru and Stuart came in last. I looked up at the sky. It was partly cloudy and warm out. I smiled and settled down on the ground, relaxing. I leaned against the tents and gazed at the clouds. Soon Mo joined me and sat down next to me. We sat in silence watching the clouds while the others gave the scroll to Akara. 'It's a wonderful day to be alive.'  
  
~*~*~  
  
Interesting, eh? Well, I have none of my usual questions that need to be answered, except for two. Will they ever get out of the Diablo Two world at this Pace? And, Will Mo choose the Mighty Larry or the Courageous Danny? Only time will tell in this long tale of action, love, and hate.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Note: This was kinda a boring chapter…But I needed to get to the camp and deliver the scroll. Next stop, Cain and Tristram. Next chapter told by, the Famous Aly Miko of Horrible Aim! AKA my best friend and The Famous Reno No Miko of FF.net! I DEMAND THAT YOU READ HER STORIES AND REVIEW THEM! OR ELSE I'LL NEVER UPDATE THIS STORY EVER AGAIN!!!! 


	13. To The Stones, Told by Aly Miko

Chapter Thirteen  
  
By Hdogg  
  
Told By Aly Miko  
  
To the Stones!  
  
Note: Good Day to ye! Welcome back to my world! Please pull up a chair and read. Talk to you at the end! Byebyez!  
  
Disclaimer: Ya know the drill. No…not a drill…I meant I don't own much in this story and that blizzard owns most of it…  
  
Onward to Victory!  
  
~*~*~  
  
I looked at the camp we had arrived in. The same camp. The Rouge Camp. I looked towards the tent where Dan, Stu, Jen, and Dru were. I sighed. It wasn't fair. Dru and Jen had each other and Mo had Larry and Dan fighting over her. I didn't have anyone. Stuart was completely off my list of people I would go out with.  
  
I walked slowly over to the tree in the camp and sat down. I leaned against and closed my eyes. Sleep came upon me like a silent snake and before I knew it, I was in dreamland.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Ha! Is that all the better you can do?" Yelled a very handsome, young man. The wind blew fiercely all around him and his foe. His wild, black hair waved violently in the wind. He laughed. It rang off the walls of the crumbling cellar.  
  
A sickening woman stood across from the young man. Her hair, matted with blood, waved stiffly in the wind. "You shall die, young sorcerer," Her voice was a mere harsh whisper, "You shall never see daylight again!" She hissed. The young man chuckled and the wind picked up even more. Dust, rotten flesh, and shreds of decaying clothes flew all around the young man and the witch.  
  
The young man raised his plain, wooden staff into the air and stuck his other hand in front of him, facing the witch. "Your time is short, Countess. You are to die at my hands! YOU SHALL NEVER HARM ANTOHER INNOCENT CHILD AGAIN!" As his voice raised, so did the wind. He whispered ancient words of magic and flame erupted in the wind. The wind and flame swirled around the Countess, burning her into nothingness. The wind died and everything fell to the ground. "Never again, will you harm another living being…" The young man picked up the gold and left. The wind died and everything became silent.  
  
~*~*~  
  
I woke up with a start. I didn't notice I had fallen asleep. I wondered who the young man was in my dream. He was so cute. I sighed and stretched. My legs and arms hurt from the position I had slept in. I stood up and looked around. Mo was sleeping, leaning against Larry's muscular arm. He was watching the sun setting. 'Lucky little twit…' I wished I had someone that cared for me like Larry and Dan did for her. I shook my head and walked towards Akara's tent.  
  
There was an argument about something in the tent. It sounded like Dan was mad about something and he and Kashya were yelled at each other. I walked in into the tent and was greeted by the two yelling maniacs.  
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M NOT A SUITABLE LEADER!" Yelled Dan at the rouge captain.  
  
"You heard me, you little brat, you're to young and inexperienced to be a suitable leader to lead these other children into battle at Tristram." Said Kashya.  
  
"Now, now," Said Akara stepping in between the two hot-headed people. "The young Paladin is a good leader. He has slain the Tree Lord and has proven he is a good leader under many circumstances." Kashya opened her mouth but Akara waved her hand and Kashya shut her mouth and just glared at Dan. "Yes, he may be young but he's the best leader they have the moment." Kashya glared at Dan but stayed quiet. "Do you understand what you must do, young one?" She asked Dan. He nodded. "Good you may go." He walked out.  
  
"Guess I didn't miss much…" But I was wrong because once I stepped out of the tent a whole new conflict occurred. This time Larry verse Dan. "How lovely…"  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Demanded Dan.  
  
"Resting and you?" Asked Larry. "And stay quiet please. She's sleeping." Dan glared at Larry. The murderous look appeared back across his face. Dan stormed away this time. He was getting weird when Larry was with Mo. You told never tell with those people.  
  
"Hey Stu, what day is it?" I asked as Stu prepared dinner. He stirred the stew he was making in the large pot.  
  
"It's March 13th. It's the 13th or 14th day we've been here." He replied testing his stew. "Hmm…Tasty."  
  
"Hmm…We've been here for 2 weeks…" I said to myself. I wasn't hungry. Walking to the entrance of the camp, I looked out across the moor. "And to think I thought this was only game…" I stood there, leaning against the wall, till it was pitch black. My thoughts were cluttered and I didn't really think about anything. I left my post and walked over to the fire.  
  
Jen was leaning against Dru and was half asleep. The twit was still dead to the world, leaning against Larry while Dan sat on the other side of her. Dan and Larry were in a glaring contest again. Stuart was watching the stars. I sighed and sat down next to him.  
  
"Hey there." He said. "Don't you think it's strange that the stars and moon look the same as ours and yet they aren't?"  
  
I looked up the sky and I saw what he meant, "Yeah, I do but you know it's just a game made by a human mind."  
  
"Oh, I don't know. It's seems to be its own world not a man-made one. Look about you. Everything is the same as the game yet it's different."  
  
"Perhaps…" I did look around and realized that he was right. It was like our world and the game but it was different in ways that you had to look for. My eyes grew heavy. I was starting to nod off. I got up and moved over to a log to lean against. I sat down, closed my eyes, and was dead to the world, for the second time that day.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Dream  
  
The young man wandered around in the wilderness of the Black Marsh. He had killed the Countess and was on his way back to collect his reward. He didn't encounter much, to his disappointment. He was bored and wanted something to do.  
  
He stopped for a rest and sat down under a tree. "Hmm…It's a nice day. Very boring though." He pulled out some meat and started to eat it. His eyes swept the marsh as he watched for monsters. "It's a highly tedious day…" He sat around doing nothing interesting. After he was done resting, he stood up and stretched.  
  
It was hot and he took off his long sleeved shirt. "How'd it get so hot…" Sweat glistened off his muscles. He wasn't bulky or wiry. Just somewhere in between. He stuffed his shirt into his pack and slung it over his shoulder. He grabbed his staff and headed out.  
  
He walked some ways before reaching a way point. He stepped upon it and yelled out Rouge Encampment and disappeared.  
  
~*~*~  
  
I woke up with a start. The man was coming to the Rouge camp or was I just dreaming it? Was I going insane or something? I shook my head. It was still dark but the sun was raising. Perhaps what I saw was a version of the future and yet again perhaps it was just my imaganation. I sat up. Everyone was where I left them before I entered dream land.  
  
'Perhaps I should just walk around…' The day was unusually hot all ready. I wandered around the camp aimlessly. 'I guess it's time we rescue Cain. Poor dude.'  
  
No one else woke up until about two hours after I did. Dan was up first like usual followed Stu, who started to make breakfast. Jen and Dru woke up about the same time. Jen pulled out her book again and started reading it. Dru went to talk to Dan for some reason. Mo was completely oblivious to the world. She'd most likely stay like that until food was served. Same thing with Larry too.  
  
Dan appeared and announced to those awake, "We're leaving in three hours. Someone wake up Mo and Larry. How's the food coming along, Stu?"  
  
"Excellent, ol' bean." Replied Stuart, testing his soup.  
  
"Good," Dan said walking off to wake up Larry. I walked around doing nothing, since there was nothing to do. I did wonder about my dream though. It seemed so real and yet it seemed to like one of the fantasies I dream up. Time passed in a sluggish, dull pace. Three hours seemed like three days but the time came for us to leave.  
  
"I don't wanna go…I wanna sleep…" Whined Mo. She shouldered her pack. "Please…I don't wanna go…"  
  
'Whiney sorceress…' I thought. "I don't want to either, twit, but if I have to go then I'm taking someone along on this trip misery."  
  
"You're just so nice, Aly." Mumbled Mo.  
  
"Yes, I know." I replied, picking up my backpack. I decided to leave my bow and arrows in the camp and just use my new lance. It was hot but there was at least a slight breeze. I brushed my long hair out of my face as we prepared to ship off.  
  
"C'mon, you two. Lets get going." Said Dan, dragging Mo to the way point.  
  
"But I don't wanna go…" She whined.  
  
"Yes I know you don't. I just want to go home." He stepped onto the way point with Mo and shouted 'Stony Field' and they disappeared in a flash. "I'll go next, I guess." No one objected. I stood on the way point and shouted 'Stony Field'. I felt myself being pulled into the way point.  
  
The way point was different experience from the town portals. If you weren't precise with what you said, you could end up anywhere. Which would be scary. To be lost in an unknown land with no way to get out.  
  
I arrived at the Stony Field. Mo was complaining let usual while the others came. I looked about and saw the stones. From a distance they still looked big.  
  
"Lets go!" Yelled Larry. His bulky form ran towards the stones.  
  
"RUN AWAY BARBARIAN!" Yelled Mo running after Larry. Her silly grin had returned.  
  
"Here we go again…" Said Dan shaking his head as he followed Larry and Mo. Dru and Jen looked at each other and smiled. They dashed off towards the stones. Stuart was busy resurrecting stuff, so I left. I walked. Why ran when you can walk?  
  
When I arrived, Rakanishu was dead, thankfully. I didn't feel like battling. Stuart was reading the scroll trying to the stones in order. He kept messing it up though. Every time he did, he had to repeat all over. Apparently he wasn't smart as he seemed.  
  
"GRAH! I GIVE UP! STUPID STONES!" He growled.  
  
I rolled my eyes, "Boys…" I walked up and picked the dropped scroll. "Let me." The process was left, right, top, bottom right, and then bottom left. The portal opened. "Gee…I must be a genesis."  
  
Mo looked at me, "Hey, are you feeling okay?"  
  
I grumbled, "Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
Mo backed away, "Okay…" She scampered off to Dan.  
  
Dan turned to face us, "All right, here's the scoop. We need to split into two groups. Jen, Dru, Mo and Aly in one. Larry, Me, and Stu in the other. Is that all right with everyone?"  
  
"Yup!" Mo said happily.  
  
"Whatever," I shrugged. The others agreed by nodding. Dan gave me a funny look. "What?"  
  
"Nothing…" He said turning away. He wisphered something to Mo and she shrugged. The others walked though the portal. I was left staring at by myself.  
  
'Why am I acting the way I am…' I wondered. 'Was I jealous of the twit and Jen? Or was there something else bugging me…' My thoughts wandered the young man in my dreams. I sighed. 'I better get moving before they worry about me…' I walked though the red portal.  
  
~*~*~  
  
What's going to happen to our hero's in Tristram? IS Aly jealous of Mo and Jen? And who is this mysterious stranger in Aly's dreams. Only time will tell in this heroic tale of love and hate.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Note: Hmm…I was hoping to have Aly tell the story of the battle in Tristram but apparently my brain didn't wanna continue after she entered the portal. All well. I wonder who this cute dude is in Aly's dreams…  
  
BTW, I think its my turn to the story for a bit. 


	14. Tristram: City of the Dead, Told by Mo W...

Chapter 14  
  
By Hdogg  
  
Told By Mo Wolfe  
  
Tristram, City of the Dead  
  
Note: I love this story! Tis so much fun to write! Thank you all who have reviewed! I really wanna thank those who have given me suggestions and such. Thank you! You're all so wonderful! Now, Onward with the Story!  
  
Something to think about…Stu can control energy balls…Jen can heal… Who's going to inquire a special power next?  
  
Disclaimer: Read Da Other Chapters!  
  
Onward to Victory!  
  
~*~*~  
  
I stood around the portal waiting for Aly to pop on though. I was scared. I was truly scary by the sight of this…this city. The buildings were charred pieces of stone that were still on fire. Banners of those horrible little demons were flying every where I look. While human flesh and clothing were scattered all over. The stench was unbearable. I felt like throwing up. I looked down and saw a skull of a human. It was clean with no flesh hanging off it but it's eye sockets were staring at me. It gazed at me with a cold, lifeless look. I swayed and almost fell over.  
  
"Whoa!" Yelled Aly, as she jumped out of the portal and grabbed me before I fell. "Hey there, twit. Not feeling well?" She asked with concern in her voice.  
  
I whimpered, "I don't like this…it's just…" My voice trailed off.  
  
"It's okay. You're with friends." She said reassuringly but I didn't feel like I was among many friends. Aly, yes, but Stuy and me were on uneasy terms with each other. I felt horrible about what I did to him at school. I shuddered. I was such an idiot. Dru and Jen were drifting away from the rest of us. They were in their own separate little world.  
  
I looked towards Larry and Dan. They were surveying the battle field. Dan was acting over-protective while Larry was being Larry. They were acting so weird around me. I just didn't understand what was going on in their heads at the moment. I sighed and looked around. Stuart was raising his army while Dru and Jen stood hand-in-hand and watched the damned city. Grim looks were etched across their faces.  
  
I sighed and walked towards Larry and Dan. They were talking calmly to each other and not biting off each others head for once.  
  
"Hmm…I say you, me, Jen, and Dru go to left and the others go for the right. We should work inward too." Said Dan as he watched the city.  
  
"Yes, that sounds good. Hopefully Stu, Mo, and Aly will be safe…" Larry's voice trailed off.  
  
"The killer monsters are to the left. That's why we're going that way." Stated the paladin. The barbarian nodded. A silly, little grin appeared on his tanned face.  
  
I stood there watching them. Dan seemed to be lost in his thoughts, while Larry was grinning happily. He seemed anxious to go into battle. He was a barbarian, though. I walked up to them and stood in between them.  
  
"Hey guys." I wisphered, looking at my boots.  
  
"Hey, kiddo. What's up?" Asked Larry.  
  
"Oh, nada. Just thinking." I said, looking about me. I cringed back away from the city.  
  
"You okay?" Asked Danny. Anxiety filled his voice.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I'm cool." I said. They saw right through that though.  
  
"You shouldn't be here," Stated Larry.  
  
Danny put a protective hand on my shoulder. "You'll be okay. You'll have Stu and Aly to protect you while we go and kill the monsters."  
  
"Yeah, we'll kill 'em!" Shouted Larry. He jumped and jabbed his fist into the air with a mighty thrust.  
  
"Hopefully, you two won't get hurt…" My soft voice trailed off.  
  
"We won't," Smiled Larry. Danny just patted my shoulder and looked out across the city. Larry left after awhile to scout ahead some. Danny and I stood there just gazing across Tristram. His hand still on my shoulder.  
  
Soon the time came to be for him to leave and for us to begin the cleansing of Tristram. Danny told me to be careful and left to join his group. I joined mine. Stu was chatting with his little army of minions while Aly sharpened her lance. I sighed. I wasn't up for killing things today. It just didn't seem fun.  
  
Aly seemed to notice that I wasn't acting like my usual self. "Hey twit. What's wrong?"  
  
"Oh, nada…" I mumbled. Aly looked me suspiciously. I looked away towards the blood strained grass and sat down on the small hill. I pulled my knees up to my chest and rested my head on them.  
  
"Hmm…Well, we'll be getting to go in a bit." Aly stated. I nodded and continued to look at the ground. "Mo?"  
  
I looked towards her, "Yeah?"  
  
"Something is definitely wrong with you. This is the first time since we got here that you haven't been excited about killing things." She stated. She knelt down next to me.  
  
"I know…I just don't feel like it…" I mumbled.  
  
I felt Aly's eyes bore into my back, "Hmm…That's a first for you." I shrugged and continued to look at the blood stained grass. Aly continued to kneel next to me until Stu said it was time to go. "C'mon, let's go." I nodded and stood up. My arms and legs were shaking.  
  
Aly and Stu walked slowly down the hill. I followed silently. We reached a burning house when a monstrous thing came walking towards us.  
  
"What do you think that is?" Asked Stuart. His skeletons edged in front of him and got ready for a battle.  
  
"A bear?" I answered watching the bulky thing walked towards us. Leather armor was stretched across its gut and dirt clung everywhere on that thing.  
  
"Actually, I think its Griswold." Aly stated.  
  
"Well, that's a logical answer." Stu said. The monster, Griswold, stopped ten feet away from us. He was six feet tall and bald. The dull sun shined off his head.  
  
"Go back or die a horrible death…" His warning dangled in the air.  
  
I nodded and started to turn around. Aly grabbed me by my cloak and pulled me back. I groaned. I really didn't feel like battling this bulky thing.  
  
"You're not going whether you wise to or not." Growled Aly. Stu was directing his little army while Aly and I stood by the building.  
  
Stu's skeleton surrounded the bulky thing known as Griswold. He stood ready with a club in his left hand. The skeletons attacked with their swords. Griswold smashed though the five skeletons easily.  
  
"Damn. The bloody thing is cursed…" Stu wisphered.  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"The curse depilated my skeletons armor and sword. Making the skeletons useless." Stu stated, watching Griswold stand there watching us, closely.  
  
"It doesn't do that in the game though," I said, shriving. It was unbearably hot a moment ago and now I was freezing.  
  
"Yes, I know that." Stu pondered on what to do next. Goosebumps covered his arms.  
  
The monster stood by a tall pole. I looked up and saw an old man hanging in a cage at the top. His blue robe was in a pitiful state. He looked to be dead but if I looked very closely, I could his chest rise and fall.  
  
I nudged Aly in the ribs, "Hey, don't ya think that's Cain up there?"  
  
Aly looked up and nodded, "Yeah, looks like him."  
  
"How we gonna get him?"  
  
Stu shook his head and looked towards, us girls. "I can't do anything…That beast will deflect all my curses and my skeletons while have no effect on him…" He sighed. "I'm useless in this fight."  
  
I thought for a moment. "Actually, I have an idea."  
  
"Oh no…The twit has an idea." Groaned Aly.  
  
"Yup," I smiled for once. "Stu, your gonna go get Cain while Aly and I kill Griswold."  
  
"Are you sure that's safe? Why don't we wait for the others?" Asked Stu. His shifted nervously from his right foot to his left.  
  
"Look at Cain. How long do you think he's going to last up there?" Aly and Stu looked up. Cain was being poked by lances of Vile Hunters and he couldn't even defend himself from the attacks. "Get my point?" They nodded. I gulped. I wasn't as confident as I looked. "All right. Let's go." Stu veered to my left and crept around towards the cage while Aly and I stood and faced the monster.  
  
"Ready, twit?" She asked, gripping her lance.  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be." I swallowed and held my staff tightly. I wished Danny and Larry was there with me.  
  
"Retreat, young ones, or become a servant of the Lord of Terror." Said the monster in its ruff voice.  
  
I swallowed my fear and answered in a clear voice, "I will not leave until my comrades and I have saved Deckard Cain from the clutches of Diablo."  
  
Griswold nodded, "Very well. Prepare to die." An army of skeletons and carvers charged at us out from behind a burning building. Aly took care of most of them. She stabbed left and right using her Jab attack on the monsters.  
  
A skeleton and carver charged at me. I quickly rose my Shiver Armor and charged. The skeleton's sword nipped me a little on my right arm. The small scratch bled a bit. I bashed the heads of the two monsters, as I dodged the rest of their attacks. They fell with soft thuds onto the ground, dead as door knobs. I blinked and turned away. Aly walked over to me, smiling evilly.  
  
"That was too easy." Her grin resembled one of my insane smiles.  
  
I replied with a snort, "For you, yeah it was."  
  
"Hehe, yup." Her grin was starting to freak me out. I looked away and towards Griswold. A frown was stretched across his dirt covered face.  
  
"You have won the first round but can you beat me in the second?" His gruff voice rang out.  
  
Aly's grin widened. I thought for a moment. Stu said that Griswold curse weakened his skeleton's armor and weapons. Would that curse do the same to us? It could be different though. For the skeletons were living dead but we were actually living people.  
  
"Do you have a plan on how to defeat this thing?" I asked. I was baffled on what to do next.  
  
"Nope," She answered. Her smile never disappeared off her face.  
  
"Oh, joy…" I sighed and thought. I came up with an idea, that I hoped would work. "Well, I'm going to try something different. I want you away from me in case my spell back fires." I said.  
  
She nodded, "Okay. Be careful, Twit." She sneaked off into the shadows.  
  
I faced Griswold and held out my hands. Heat gathered and soon a fireball sprang to life. I aimed carefully at Griswold. "I hope I hit him…" I mumbled to myself. I threw the ball of flames. I hit the beast square in the chest. "Hehe, bulls eye." But my fireball didn't have any effect on Griswold. "Ah, shoot."  
  
He stood there and looked at me. "Young sorceress," He wisphered. An icy cold wind blew past me. My leather studded armor cracked and fell off. I swallowed. It's definitely not a good thing when your armor falls off in a middle of a battle. "You have made your death wish." My leather gloves started to tighten on my hands. I quickly took them off. They shrank and also cracked.  
  
"Ah, dang it. I'm dead." I mumbled, looking at my armor lying cracked on the ground. "Oh yeah. I'm dead." I gripped my staff and prepared myself. My belt and boot were still intact thankfully but I still didn't have any protection for my hands and body. Another blast of cold air brushed past me. I could feel the air freeze around me. My staff glowed. A warmth spread though my body. "What the heck?" I looked at my blowing staff then towards Griswold. He was frowning. I gulped and closed my eyes to block out the horrible scene in front of me. Bodies of carvers and humans were scattered in front of me. While Griswold had dried blood covering him. 'Get a grip of yourself. Throw a fireball or something. Just don't stand there,' I thought to myself. I faced Griswold and held out my left hand in front of me. "Here goes nothing…" I wisphered to myself. My hands glowed a bright red. The ground beneath Griswold blazed a bright red. A wall of fire erupted underneath him.  
  
"Grah!" He yelled trying to jump out of the flames. The blaze of the flames grew and consumed Griswold, leaving nothing behind. The fire died. The ground still glowed a bright orange/red.  
  
I smiled. "Round Two: Winner, Mo the Mischievous." I swayed. Jabbing my staff into the ground, I looked at the charred remains of Griswold. I saw armor lying by the monster. It was unharmed. I wanted to go get it but I felt exhausted. I could barely keep a hold on my staff and stand.  
  
Aly came jugging up. "Hey, nice job." She looked closely at me. My eyes were closed and I wasn't really paying attention to her. "Twit? You okay?" I sat down and leaned against a rock.  
  
"I feel horrible." I mumbled. I felt drained and I needed to rest. I heard footsteps walking towards us. "Who's coming?" I didn't feel like opening my eyes and looking around.  
  
"Dan and Larry." She replied. I heard her lance clink against the rock as she turned to face them.  
  
Heavy footsteps jogged up and stopped beside me. "Mo?" Asked Danny. I felt him kneel down next to me. "Hey, you okay?"  
  
"I'm dead…" I muttered.  
  
"Well, we cleared out the town. There's no more monsters left here. Did you get Cain?" Asked Danny.  
  
"I don't know…Ask Stuart." I said, opening my eyes and looking at Danny.  
  
"He isn't here."  
  
I looked around. "That's weird. Where is that little twit…" Jenny and Dru walked up. They each sported a new weapon. Dru had a black and silver axe while Jenny had a very nice new claw on her left hand.  
  
"Hey." Said Dru. A few wolves followed him.  
  
Danny asked them, "Have you seen Stuart any where?" Dru shook his head. "Jen?"  
  
"No, we haven't. Sorry." She replied. Crimson blood dripped off the claw.  
  
Danny sighed, "We lost General Nerd." I looked towards the pole where Cain was supposed to be but he wasn't there anymore.  
  
"Hey guys. Look." I pointed towards the pole. They all looked towards it.  
  
"It's just a pole, girl." Said Larry.  
  
"But that was where Cain's cage was hung."  
  
"It was?" He asked.  
  
I nodded, "Yeah, it was."  
  
"Hmm…If Cain isn't there, would that mean that Stu had rescued him?" Danny pondered.  
  
"Perhaps and hopefully." I answered. "Maybe they're back at the camp."  
  
"Yeah, I think they are. Let's get going there." Said Dru. His wolves had left him now. "I'll raise the portal." He pulled out a blue scroll. He opened it and called 'Rogue Camp'. The scroll materialized into the blue portal. Danny and I jumped into the portal first and went off back towards the camp.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Where could the Necromancer be? Where is Deckard Cain? What is going to happen to the Comrades? Only time will tell in this tale of action, love, and hate.  
  
Onward to Victory!  
  
~*~*~  
  
Note: **Is smiling Mischievously** Well, that was fun. Was it interesting? Or was it another boring chapter? **Walks off smiling** 


	15. Saving Deckard Cain, Told By Stuart Derh...

Chapter 15  
  
By Hdogg  
  
Told by Stuart Derhund  
  
Saving Deckard Cain  
  
Note: I'm gonna start from where Stu left Mo and Aly. Hope you don't mind. This story is like gonna take forever…All well. ^_^ Tis fun to write.  
  
Disclaimer: Blizzard Ownz All! But me and my friends and a few characters in here. ^_~  
  
Onward to Victory!  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
I crept around behind a battered building. 'Now, why do I have to save the old chap…Why can't the girls do it…But of course I'd be of no use against the monster.' I shook my head and watched the Vile Hunters or whatever those hideous things were. I put my hand against the wall. The charred wall brushed away easily when I ran my hand over it.  
  
"A plan to save Cain. That's what I need…but to get one. Now that's a problem that needs to be solved soon." I whispered to myself.  
  
Cain hung high above the ground in a tiny, bamboo cage. I shook my head. It was going to be a task to get the old man out of there. The vile creatures finally left the old man alone. Shouts and screams were resounding though out the camp. I guessed that my comrades were having fun fighting those vile creatures.  
  
I quickly sneaked over to Cain. There was a rope that controlled the cage going up and down. The rope was tried in a knot on the pole.  
  
"Knots…I despise those things." I grumbled to myself. I studied the knot very closely. It was rather complicated but not even a match for my intelligence. I very rapidly untied the knot and the cage came on plummeting down. Almost upon me, if I may add.  
  
"Bloody hell!" I shouted, dodging the speeding cage and grabbing the rope to slow the rapid fall. Unfortunately though, I was a great deal lighter then the cage. I went up quicker then a shooting star. I hit my head on a rod that extended from the main pole too. I cursed heavily. I grabbed the rod above my head and let of the rope. The rope fell to the ground and I looked down.  
  
"I really hate this job…" I was, at least, twenty feet above the ground. I hung in the air for a moment before I got the notion in my head to move and get down. I climbed across the rod and swung onto the pole. I slid down the pole and hit the ground with a thud. "I'm never volunteering for this kind of job again. Mo can do it herself." I got up and straight my leather vest.  
  
I had suited myself with a sleeveless black leather vest and dark blue, silky pants. I wore newly fashioned heavy boots that were a dark purple and a steel helmet that sometimes fell over my eyes and blinded me. I held a dagger that was very interesting looking with its runes on the blade. I still need to decipher those too. I also had a plain old wooden shield. My friends say that my outfit looked rather weird but I happen to like it. Kind of like my red and green plaid shirt, blue bow tie, and beige pants thing that I arrived in.  
  
I cautiously walked over to the bamboo prison. A bundle of fabric moaned from inside the cage. I sighed and mumbled to myself, "Guess I better get the old chap out of there." I looked for a catch on the prison to open it. There wasn't one though. "Bloody hell..." I grumbled. I tapped on the cage.  
  
Cain looked up at me. His gaunt eyes darted feverishly back and forth. "Don't touch me, you vile creature." His voice rasped. His huddled form was in the corner farthest away from me.  
  
"Deckard Cain, I am Stuart Derhund. A Necromancer. I am here to save you." I wisphered glancing about me. I had a feeling those inhumane brutes would be back soon. I fumbled around the cage, trying to figure out how it opened. I heard bones crunch under weight of something big. "Damn it." I struck the cage with my dagger. It didn't ever leave a dent. Either there was a curse on it or I was very weak.  
  
I looked around and saw an axe laying on the ground, near the cage. "Well, that may help." I quickly picked up the axe. I stuck my knife into a small scabbard that was on my belt and took the axe into both hands. "Least it's not heavy." I swung high and bought down the axe on the cage. A crack appeared on the bar I had struck. The blow though jarred my sense. I struck again and again. After my fifth blow, the bar gave away. There was now a hole on the top of the cage. "Take out one more bar and you're home free, sir." As I hacked away at the prison, I didn't notice the advancing danger.  
  
The Vile Lancers had returned with their friends, the Carvers Shamans and the Skeletons. Without warning, a fireball buzzed past my head. At first I thought it was Mo playing one of her stupid tricks on me but when I turned around from my work, with the axe in my hands, I saw the small army that lay before me.  
  
"Bloody hell! Where'd these things come from?" I yelled. I startled the some of the skeletons but the other contemptible creatures just looked at me with hollow, blank expressions. "Well, since there's no Griswold, perhaps I can summon stuff to fight for me." I mumbled to myself. Carcasses lay all around me, waiting to be used for my skeletons. I summoned five warrior skeletons. They stood in front of me and by my side, ready for action. Then I summoned my clay golem. The lovely monsters took the notion in their defiled heads to attack him.  
  
While the vile creatures hacked away at my clay golem, I hacked away at the bamboo prison. My skeletons watched my back as bamboo chips flew around me. The top finally broke away. I dropped the axe. I was breathing heavily from all the swinging. My arms ached too.  
  
I wisphered to Cain, "Come on. We got to get out of here."  
  
Cain's wise eyes looked at me, "Necromancer, Thank you." He pushed himself up and made a feeble attempt trying to get out of the cage.  
  
"Let me help you." I lent a hand to the Horadric Mage. He took it gratefully. Once he was out of the cage. I took out a Town Portal.  
  
"Hold on, young Necromancer. I need to retrieve a precious artifact from my old house." He said, preventing me from opening my Town Portal. I nodded. Cain picked up a Gerald Staff from off the ground. He frowned. "I guess this old thing will have to do until I find mine." He started walking towards an almost intact house. Only the roof was broken up. I followed behind him. My skeletons covered our backs. We entered the building carefully for the walls looked unsettle in many places. Cain walked into a room separate from the main room. He tabbed a device on a shelf and it dissolved, revealing a passageway. He motioned me to stay where I was and entered alone into the dark passageway. I didn't have to wait long for he reappeared with two ancient tombs in one hand and an old, old staff in the other. "Now open the portal, young one." I nodded and opened the swirling blue portal. He walked into the portal first. I unsummoned my skeletons and stood in the house. The sounds of battle were gone. It was silent in the small town. I looked down the passageway. I wanted to go down there and look around. My curiosity got the best of me. I slowly walked down the steps. My leather boots creaked eerily in the darkness.  
  
Soon darkness surrounded me and I couldn't see before me or around me. I looked down. My scabbard was glowing. I pulled out my dagger. An uncanny blue light came from it. It lit up the room some what. The light bounced off mirrors and glass jars. I walked father into the chamber. I fingered things lying on the tables as I walked past them.  
  
When I approached the back of the chamber, I was met with a wondrous site. The whole back wall was covered with books of all sorts. I ran my hand along a shelf. It wasn't dusty, surprisingly. A book to my right caught my eye. The title was in English, which was rather weird. I set my knife down and pulled the book the out with both of my hands. I tumbled backwards. The book was heavy! I read the title. 'Saviors From Another World'. There was a faded picture of seven warriors on the cover.  
  
'How original.' I thought. A heard a crashing from upstairs. I quickly looked around for a sack so I could take the book with me. I spotted one in a corner under a desk. I picked up my knife and hurriedly put the book into the leather sack. The crashing got louder. Then I heard metal against stone. Someone was walking down here! I stuffed my knife into its scabbard and huddled against the wall under the oak desk. A faint red light glowed from the steps. I hoped the person or creature or whatever it was wouldn't see me.  
  
Along with the clinging of the metal boots against the steps, there was a soft tapping nice also. Clink, tab, clank, tab. The red light now filled the room. A young man walked in. His dark, wild hair fell about to his shoulder blades. A small red ball floated above his plain, wooden staff.  
  
I stayed huddled in my little corner. The mage, least I think he was a mage, walked towards the book shelf. He looked at the spot where the book was. He frowned. His gaze swept over towards me. I saw his eyes glitter in the light. He had golden brown eyes. He walked over to the desk and scattered papers around.  
  
"Where is it!?" He muttered angrily. Papers flew onto the floor. He turned to leave but stopped. He walked back towards the desk. My breath caught in my throat. He knelt down and saw me huddled in the dark. He grabbed me by the collar and pulled out from under the desk. "Where's the book?"  
  
"I, I," I stuttered. He snatched the sack away from me. "T-t-that's mine!" He slammed me against the wall and let go of me. He took the book out of the sack and threw the empty thing to me. He glanced at me and left.  
  
My blonde hair was plastered to my face. I shivered and pulled out my dagger. It still glowed, thankfully. I walked nimbly up the stairs. I saw that my portal was down. I reached for another on my belt. My hand brushed parchment. I grabbed the scroll. My hands still shaking, I read the scroll and threw it down. The swirling blue portal appeared before me. Though distorted, I could see the camp. I took a step and walked though it.  
  
After a moment or two, I stumbled out of the portal and into the rouge camp. I saw Mo was eating by the fire while Larry slept beside her. Daniel was talking to Cain while Aly was practicing with her bow. I shuddered. Aly with that bow is a really dangerous thing. As always, Jen and Dru were out of sight. I walked towards Dan and Cain. "Hello," I said quietly to them.  
  
"Hey! There you are!" Dan slapped me on the back. "Where you been?"  
  
"No where." I replied.  
  
"I was just talking to Sir Cain about you." Said Dan, a broad smile covered his face. "Seems you're a hero now, Stu."  
  
"I am?" I asked looking at them. Cain looked at me and smiled. "Why?"  
  
"For you saved Deckard Cain!" Replied Dan.  
  
I looked at the ground, "Oh, yeah…" I heard heavy footsteps walking towards us.  
  
"Ah, I would like you to meet my nephew, Devak." Said Cain, his smile widening. "Did you find the tomb, Devak?"  
  
"Yes, I did." Replied the same tenor voice I had heard in the chamber. I froze and swallowed. The footsteps stopped right behind me. "Here." Cain reached for the book.  
  
"Thank you, Devak." He said paging though the book. "Hmm…Young Necromancer, please come here." I walked gingerly towards him. "Look at this picture." I looked at the picture and gasped. It was me! When I was saving Cain.  
  
"Whoa…that's brilliant!" I awed at the picture. It showed in prefect detail of me holding an axe above my head and getting ready to chop the cage up.  
  
Cain smiled. His skin crinkled when he smiled. "Please, take this book. I'm sure it will help you on your quests." I looked at him and nodded. He handed me the book. I took it carefully, afraid it may slip away once more.  
  
"T-t-thank you, s-sir." I stuttered out again. Cain looked down on me and smiled. He was a bit shorter then Dan and I think Dan was now about 5'10". I though was only about 5'7". Though I wasn't the shortest one in this party. Mo was the shortest at 5'5". I turned around and ran straight into Devak. I gulped. He just glared at me. I quickly side stepped and walked very fast towards Mo.  
  
She had finished her food and was staring at the fire. Her head rested on her knees and her eyes were half closed. "Hola, Stuy."  
  
"Hey." I sat down next to her and looked at the book I held.  
  
"Whatcha got there?" She asked, glancing at the book.  
  
"A book I got from Cain. I think it's a like a reward or something for saving him." I replied. She nodded and looked back at the fire.  
  
I looked towards the west. The sun was setting and it was making a wonderful picture in the sky. Purple, orange, and red spread though out the western horizon. Crickets chirped in the distance while other insects buzzed around me. A cool breeze gently blew. I curled up into a ball next to the fire. I used my new book as a pillow. My eyes grew heavy and I was asleep in an instant.  
  
~*~*~  
  
The mysterious youth is Devak, Cain's nephew. Interesting. No questions today just, Will our champions do well on the next quest? Only time will tell in this tale of adventure, action, and love.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Note: Hola! Tis an interesting chapter, no? So, any comments on any of the lovely couples? And opinions on the characters? It's nice to know whatcha think of these people. Well, I hope you enjoy this story! Adios!  
  
Onward to Victory! 


	16. The Flames Burn High, Told by Aly Miko

Chapter 16

By Hdogg

Told By Aly Miko!

The Flames Burn High

Note: Aloha! Tis me, Mo. Though Chap. 13 was told by Aly, I have decided that she needs to tell this one. Aly meets Devak…Danger! Two hot heads (no offense Aly) in the same room! BEWARE! ::gets an evil glare from Aly::Err, I'm shut up now and write.  
  
Oh, Aly put in little comments in here….to take note of the stuff in parenthesis. 

   
Thank You's: Thanks to my friends who let me use them in this story! You're all so cool! Thanks for supporting my story! 

Disclaimer: Blizzard owns the game, character types, and everything else. I own myself(the sorceress), my cd player, and my ideas(as in Devak). My friends(everyone else) own themselves. 

Onward to Victory!

~*~*~

                I set my bow and arrows down. I'd never be able to use the dang things at this rate. I sighed and sat down on a log by the fire. I glanced about me. Stu was snoozing, using a book for a pillow. Mo seemed to have died(thank goodness) and so did Larry. 

                I looked up and watched the stars twinkle above me but my moment of peace was shattered when a chorus of curses rang out threw out the camp. Mo and Stu were awake in an instant while the big lump slept away. 

                I glanced over to where all the racket was taking place. Dan and some fellow were in a shouting argument. Cain stood by them shaking his head. It was hard to make out the fellow that Dan was yelling at because of the smoke in my eyes and the darkness. I shook my head. Men could be such idiots at times. I wondered where Dru and Jen were. They should have been back by now. It was dangerous at night. 

                Mo, practically reading my thoughts, asked, "Gee, where's the love birds? It's late and they should have been back by now…"

                "Yeah, I know." I said, looking around. "Where could those two be…"

                Mo glanced at Dan and mysterious fellow. "Bakas…Worse then me…" She wisphered to herself, shaking her head. She leaned back against the log I was sitting on and shut her eyes. Stuart looked about, shaking, and stayed low to the ground. I just shook my head, slid off the log, and onto the ground. Getting into a comfortable position, I was asleep instantly.

~*~*~

                I woke up last the next morning, like I usually did. Stu handed me a plate with sausages and eggs on it. I looked around for a fork but I didn't see one.

                "Umm, Stu, Don't I get a fork or something?" I asked.

                "Oh, sorry, there ol' girl." He handed me a wood fork to match the wood plate. Didn't these people have anything better? 

                "Thanks."  I mumbled. I ate the food quickly and handed my plate to Stu. I took a quick look around. Dan and Larry were talking to each other in a calm matter for once. Mo was snacking away on food while Stu cleaned the dishes in a small spring used for cleaning equipment by the rogues. I didn't see Dru or Jenny any where though. 

                I walked up to Mo and asked, "Have you seen Dru or Jenny?"

                She shook her head and answered, "Not since yesterday." Concern filled her eyes though her face was emotionless for once. No silly grins, no mischievous gleams. She was acting serious for once. Which was a surprise for the most part. "I'm about ready to go out searching for them."

                "Yeah, so am I." I replied. I looked towards the horizon. The sun felt warm on my very tanned face. I was getting a lot more sun then I usually did. I sighed and watched the sun. It looked to real…but it couldn't be. This was only a game. A reality to nightmare sort of thing, I suppose. I twiddled with my hair as I pondered the game.

                Mo set down her plate. "Come on. Let's go and ask Dan if we can go and find our missing friends, kay?"

                I nodded. "Yeah, okay." We trekked over to Larry and Dan who surprisingly were not chewing out each other in a verbal war. 

                "Dude, I don't know." Larry said to shorter young man. He looked over Dan's head and waved at us. "Hey! What's up you two?"

                Mo looked at Dan, "Hey, Danny, can Aly and I go and find Dru and Jenny? We're worried about them."

                "Hmm, They have been gone a long time." He scratched his chin. A stubble of whiskers grew on it. Usually he kept it clean shaven but I guess he decided he wanted a goatee. "Yeah, but I want Devak to go with you. He's knows the woods out here."

                Mo smiled. "Thank you." Mo started to leave but Dan stopped her.

                "Just one more thing, don't kill anyone please. Oh, and Larry, Stu, and I will be heading out towards the Barracks to get the Malus. Meet us at the Barracks once you find Dru and Jenny, kay?"

                Mo nodded. "Okay. No problem but I forgot to ask, Who's Devak?" 

                "Oh, yeah, I forgot you two didn't meet him. He's Cain's nephew. I stroke a pact with him. He's going to be our guide for the last two quests. He's probably by Miss Akara or something. Good Luck you two. Be careful." He hugged Mo and turned back to Larry. "How much money you got?"

                Mo smiled a little and disappeared off towards Akara tent. I envied the little twit. I sighed and trekked after Mo. I should concentrate on finding my friends not my pathetic love life. 

                I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw who Mo was talking to. It was the young man from my dreams. I gulped. '_What is he doing here?' _I regained myself and walked up coolly to the tent. Devak glanced at me and snorted. I looked at him and rolled my eyes.

                "Hey! Aly, this is Devak. Devak, this is one of my best friends, Aly." Mo said. Devak didn't acknowledge my presence and I did likewise. "Umm, well, shall we be going?"

                "Sure, let's go." I said a little too roughly. Mo gave me a funny look and shrugged. Devak headed towards the exit while Mo chattered away about stuff.

                "So, where are you from, Devak? Not around here I bet." She asked him.

                He shrugged and said in his wonderful voice, "I lived jungles of Kurast when I was younger before the demons came and destroyed everything."

                "Cool! Err, not the demon part but the living in a jungle sounds like fun!" Devak just shrugged and continued walking. Mo tried to get him to talk more but he wouldn't. She tried to strike up a conversation with me but I didn't feel like talking. She eventually shut her big mouth.

                We trekked around all morning without finding a single clue on where our friends  had disappeared to. Mo finally dropped dead under a tree and refused to move when Devak told her to.

                "Buzz off. I'm tired." She mumbled.

                "It's dangerous to sit out here. We have to keep moving." He stated but Mo didn't move. He glared at her. "Get up now." He growled out dangerously. Mo sighed and got up.

                "Fine, but you didn't have to be so rude." She wisphered trudging along. I glared at Devak and followed Mo. Only I was allowed to be mean to Mo. It was my rightful duty as best friend to do so.(dang right!) Devak followed behind us, as silent as a fox.

                After a while, Devak called us to a stop. "Stay here for a moment." He walked up ahead, glancing about him. He came back a few minutes later. "It seems your friends have been here but the campfire was cold when I check it. Either they took a different route back to the camp or someone," He paused then added, "or something has kidnapped them. The second of the two seem more plausible at the moment. A multitude of tracks can be seen leaving the camp toward the Dark Wood."

                Mo stared at him in disbelief. I just glared at him as I sorted things out in my head. _'Oh, great, now Dru and Jen are kidnapped and we're stuck in a strange world and we have a stuck up snotty boy for our guide…Joyous.' _

                "Come on. Lets go get your friends," Devak grumbled walking into the clearing. I followed behind him while Mo followed me. He was right. There was a multitude of footprints on the ground leading away from the camp fire. Devak kept walking past the camp though Mo and I had stopped to look around.

                "Hmm, interesting." I mumbled looking around.

                "I hope they're all right…" Mo wisphered to herself. 

                Devak came back with an irritated look on his face. "What are you two doing?"

                "Looking around. Got a problem with that?" I asked, giving him a glare.

                "Yes, I do. We need to get out of here before what has kidnapped your friends, kidnaps us." He responded in a growl. He stood across the clearing glaring at me as I stared angrily at him from the other end. While we glared at each other, Mo started to poke me and mumbled about something.

                She finally managed to get my nerves and shouted at her, "What?!" 

                "Err, well, you see, there's this really freaky thing standing behind you…" She mumbled, twiddling with her hands. She always did that when she was nervous. 

                "Freaky thing behind me?" I turned around and did see a Freaky thing standing behind me. "Err, I see." I turned back to Devak. "I'll get back to you." Giving him a pleasant smile, I turned back to the freaky thing. "So…what is it?"

                "A freaky thing?" I glared at her. "Oh, fine. Let me think. Hmm…" She stood for a moment looking at the non-moving thing. "I think its some sort of Goat man…" 

                "Goat man?" 

                "Oh, err, it's either from the Moon Clan or the Night Clan…Can't remember which one though." She replied, smiling. She smiled constantly! It was annoying. She laughed in the face of danger too. 

                "Wonderful…but why isn't moving?" 

                "Err, I don't know!" She replied throwing her hands into the air. The creature fell forward, dead as a door knob. 

                "Well, that was quite a fight it gave." I said in an undertone to myself.

                "Hmm, interesting." Mo mumbled, poking the body with her staff. I gave her a look that basically said 'I -DO NOT- know you'. She was a queer one.

                "I told you, we have to get going before your friends kidnappers decided to take us too." Devak growled out. Startled, I jumped into the air and whirled around.

                "What to you think you're doing?!" I yelled at him.

                "Saving you two brainless children." He answered, with an idiotic grin that said, 'I'm better then you, get over it'. I rolled my eyes. This guy was really getting on my last nerves. _'But he **is **so damn good looking.'_  I added to myself.

                "Shut the hell up you vain loser. One, I am not a child, and two, I do have a brain, unlike you, whose brain is smaller than a rotten tomato!" I yelled in his face. I shoved him hard and he fell over a rock. He glared up at me from where he had landed and started to say something but I kicked him in the side and stormed away into the woods, with Mo right on my heels. "What an idiot. I swear, if he tries that again, I'll." I stopped talking. Something was moving in the bushes ahead of us. "Ah, hell. What now?" Devak popped out of the bushes. "Great…it's you." I snarled at him.  
                Devak glared at me then said to Mo. "If we're going to find you're friends, we're going to have to rack the woods them. It's going to take a while. Maybe two weeks if we're lucky."

                "If we're lucky?!" She yelled at him. "What'd ya mean?"

                "C'mon. What are the chances of them surviving in a wilderness like this?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest. A smug smile was on his handsome face. God, I hated him.

                I laughed. "You don't know my friends. They're more then capable to keep care of themselves out here." I twirled my spear in my hand. I got him this time.

                "But then why are we looking for them?" He asked raising an eyebrow. "Hmmm?"

                _'I think I'm gonna cut off his head and make it into a trophy…'_ I thought angrily to myself.

                Then Mo bounced in. "Would you two quit it! Stop trying to best each other!" She glared at both of us. Her eyes sparkled with annoyance. She could be frightening when she was annoyed. "We are here to find Jenny and Dru. If you two don't work together, I'll…uhh…do something!" She stomped her foot. With an air of dignity, she stormed between us and went off by herself.

                I glared at the idiotic Sorcerer and ran off after my little friend. "Hey! Mo wait up!" I stumbled through the brush and over tree roots trying to catch up with the running Baka. "Slow down you idiot!" I yelled finally catching up with her. Actually I ran into her. We both fell forward. "Mo what's - - -?"

                "SHHH!" She clamped her hand over my mouth. "Quiet!" 

                I gave her a questioning look.

                "Look through here." She brushed back a bit of brush.

                I nearly screamed at the site. It was…horrifying. That's all I could think of. It took a lot to scare me and this most certainly was a lot. I was amazed at how calm Mo was. She normally would have been freaking out. I bit my lip and watched.

                This didn't seem like anything from the game. The monsters were definitely different from the regular monsters then ever before. Horns of crimson jutted out of their black skulls. They carried blue axes, probably enchanted with a cold attack, that dripped with freshly drawn blood. The armor they wore was of the Ancients. The color of it though looked like dried blood. A fire protection enchanted was most likely induced on the armor. A black cape swirled around each and everyone of them. They were the pure image of the devil and their little domain was a peak of hell. 

                One turned around and faced our hiding place.

                I choked back the bail in mouth. To add to the nightmare, it had small dark eyes with a pinpoint of white in the middle of them. They were shallow and held no depth. It was the eyes of a drone. The beast had the face of a man that was crossed with demon. It had no nose, just two slits in the middle of its gruesome face. Like a snake it seemed.

                My eyes traveled down to its mouth. A piece of raw meat hung out of it. Its jagged teeth stuck out at odd angles, holding the mass firmly in its grip. The blood ran steadily down its bare throat.

                I grabbed Mo's cape. "What is going here?"

                She didn't speak again. Only pointed to the center of the camp. 

                I looked again. Bonfires blazed with fury and next to it were two forms. "Ah shit…" I mumbled.

                "See the dilemma then?" Mo asked sadly. She chewed on her hair as she ran her hand over her staff. The wood seemed to confront her a bit.

                "I see it all right." I snarled, as I tighten my grip on my spear. If those beats came a little closer or laid a hand on either of them I would –kill- them. Slow and painfully.

                Devak snickered behind me.

                I whirled around, jabbing the spear point under his cute little chin. "Gonna laugh are you?"

                He just smiled snugly and brushed the sharp tip away. "This is no time for games, child. Let a man handle this." 

                Mo got up and promptly slapped him across the face. "Would. You. Just. Shut. Up." She spat out. In her eyes you could see the flames of her soul burn with anger. 

                I snickered. Mo hated men with a passion that thought with were 'all that'. Her father was like that and she just hated him. 

                She knocked him over and leaned against a tree. Her eyes scanned the camp.  She was probably applying her strategic knowledge from the game Star Craft to this. And all the other useless knowledge she had collected over the years. She walked back over and tugged Devak to his feet.

                "Listen closely, Devak," She hissed holding onto the collar of his blue shirt. "You are going to use your little magic tricks to create a distraction. Do anything –else- I'll personality kick your ass again." 

                I snickered. I didn't think the little twit had the nerve to curse.   
                She turned to me and smiled kindly. "You and me will be on the rescue squad, my friend."

                I crossed my arms over my chest and smiled wickedly, "This is going to be one butt kicking fest of fun." Mo just smiled and watched sadly at the scene before us. I leaned against her and pulled her hair. "Don't worry, Mo. It's gonna be fine."

                "I hope so…" She mumbled looking at her staff then she turned to Devak. "What the heck are doing standing there?! Go create the dang distraction!" She snarled waving her staff impatiently.

                He walked away, grumbling to himself.

                "Nice one Mo." I said ruffling her hair. "Let's get to this…" A wave of white light spread throughout the monsters camp. "And now the show begins." I mumbled.

                The monsters took off towards the light leaving all but two to guard their prisoners. "Stupid hoard of beasts…" I grumbled almost happily to myself. This was going to a piece of cake. 

Without any warning to Mo, I jumped out of the bush and charged at the monsters. "Hey-laaaaah!" I shouted out jabbing the butt of my spear into the ground. Using my spear as a vault, I sailed over the two dumbstruck guards. I landed lightly on my feet then charged once again but from behind. 

Strength that had been locked away from me, coiled within my muscles as I began to run through an attack in my mind. I would slice the first one through the middle perhaps or take off his head in a mighty swipe of my spear. They deserved death and would receive it from my hands.

                Without my knowledge, I had begun to laugh with high spirited evilness. As soon as the first beast was within reach of my spear, I jabbed at his knees. He stumbled backwards into his companion. The beast was stabbed in the side by his companion's dagger. Swiftly and silently, I rushed around the side of the two. I extended my arm and the spear sliced through the first monster. With a mighty heave, I pulled it upward. The spear jutted out of the beast's middle as it sliced upward into his heart and shoulder. Then I struck at the other, slicing off his ear and part of his skull. I pulled my spear out with a yank and whirled the weapon around again. This time I took off his arm with a mighty swipe of the blood stained weapon. The blood spattered onto my clothes. I didn't care though. These monsters had dared to hurt my friends! They deserved this defeat in their own blood! Upon the ground would be written a warning to all that dared to pursue and attack my friends! That I, Allison Miko, would come and hunt them down. That only their blood would remain to carve another message into the earth to those that would follow.

                He stumbled backwards and fell into the fire. His gruesome cry was forever engraved within my mind. I stumbled backwards into the first. My laughter had died away and a choking cry escaped my throat. The first one lay face down in the dirt. The blood slowly drained away into a puddle that spread from underneath the corpse.

                The bloodlust drained away from me like the blood that flowed into the soil. I dropped my spear and looked around. Mo was watching me from the sidelines. Her look unsettled me. Anguish and sadness were etched into her eyes though her face remained cold and forbidden. She slowly turned to the right and watched another battle taking place.

                I turned and watched too. Devak could be seen through the dust that encircled the site in which he fought. Lighting cracked and another beast fell to Devak's might. Fire engulfed another while ice encased the warrior to his right. The elements fought with sorcerer as he defeated his enemies with grueling attacks. The wind picked up and his dark hair blew out into front of him. With a wave of his staff, a raging fire took all that were left behind of the forces.

                The dust settled and Devak walked past the smoking corpses as he made his way towards me. He was smiling victoriously though he looked a little sad about something. He looked at me then at my handiwork. "Not bad…for an amateur." 

                I glared at him. "If you weren't so stupid and naïve, I may have complimented you on _your_ work." I snarled. I knew that sounded a bit lame but nothing else came to my mind. 

                I looked over to where Jenny and Dru lay. Mo was all ready there, examining both. She looked mildly happy and relieved.

                "Well, they aren't dead but they are unconscious. They have been so, for at least a day." She said, standing up and brushing some dirt off her pants.

                Devak snorted. "How do you know this, kiddy?" 

                She smiled sweetly with a deadly ping to it. "I read." She stuck her staff onto her belt and bent down to pick up Jenny. "Devak, you get Dru." She commanded softly.

                "She reads?" Devak shot me a questioning glance and picked up Dru with ease. Dru wasn't a big man, muscle wise, but he was tall and lean. He probably had to weigh at least hundred and ninety pounds.       I watched Devak walk past me. His lean frame standing firmly under the weight of the other man. Mo half bounced over to me. She had Jenny situated on her back. 

                She smiled brightly with hint of mischievousness. "Ready, my friend?" She was all ready ahead of me when she asked the question.

                I shrugged as I jogged up beside her. "How can you carry her on your back? Doesn't it hurt?"  

                "I'm used to it. She weighs about the same as one of my cousins." She replied shaking her head to get some hair out of her face. I usually didn't notice since it was a common occurrence but she had tied up her hair into a wad thingy. I actually had no idea what it was called and she probably didn't either. But it was the first time she had her hair up since we had arrived in the game.

I sighed as we trekked along. I wondered why we didn't call on a town portal and I asked Mo. She just shrugged and said the waypoint was easier. She was probably out of scrolls as was I. It took us awhile but eventually we made it to the waypoint. 

I was breathing slightly heavy but Devak and Mo were panting for breath. "Hmm…" Mo set Jenny on the grass and Devak set Dru beside her.

Mo then plopped down on the waypoint and pulled out a canteen of water. "Ack…to much physical work…" She tossed the canteen at me.

I caught it with one hand and downed the half the canteen in a single gulped. Kneeling down next to the two lovebirds, I gently poured a bit of water on each of their lips. Their eager tongues licked the wetness. That was when I noticed Jenny's eyes starting to open.

"Hey, stay down and don't move. You're probably weak from loose of blood and getting beat up." I mumbled giving her what was left of the water. I looked toward the other two. Mo was half awake on the waypoint while Devak was staring at the canteen.

"Please…may I have some?" He asked. He looked so pathetic at my mercy. I almost felt sorry for the loser.

I turned over the canteen and not a drop poured out. "I'm sorry…I gave the rest to Jen and Dru." I smiled wickedly on the outside but on the inside…I hurt for him. For the small bout of suffering he was going through. I shook my head and snarled at myself. The stupid pointless bastard was playing mind tricks on me! I knew it!

He groaned and looked at the waypoint, "Let's get going." He mumbled something as he stood on the platform. An extremely bright flash of light engulfed us all. 

I blinked a few times to get the fuzziness to go away. "Neee…" I mumbled. We were back in the camp thankfully. Cain and Akara were rushing over to us.

"By the grace of the Sightless Eye! You have returned!" Akara said happily. A smile that stretched from ear to ear, beamed on her face.

Devak sighed and leaned against his uncle. "Yeah…I guess we did." He ran a hand through his dark hair. In the dying sunlight, his bronze skin gleamed a bit.

I blinked. "What the hell? How did it get to late?"

Mo shrugged. "We've been out all day. We'll catch up with the crew tomorrow…I wanna sleep…" She yawned and rubbed her eyes. She reminded me a little kid just getting out of bed. By the she acted at times she could have been a little kid too.

Akara smiled at Mo and patted her on the head with a wrinkled hand. "Go to sleep, little one. I will keep care of your friends." 

Normally Mo would have protested being called a 'little kid' but she just nodded. She stumbled over to the fire and sat down next to a log. I watched her curl up into a ball and drift into sleep.

Cain gently took his slumbering nephew off his shoulders and led him to his tent. "G'night, ladies." 

Akara turned to me as the bodies of my two friends began to float in the air. "I bid you a good night, young Amazon. May the great Eye watch over you." She smiled kindly at me then left me.

I sighed and looked to the dying sun. The clouds and the red light made a spectacular show for me to watch. So much like my own world and yet so different. It almost seemed that this wasn't a game but a different land behind my own. But with so much more… The game could have been only bits and pieces of this world seen by someone in a dream. What I had experienced today was something I thought would never happen in the game. Monsters…a hoard of them. Maybe…just maybe, there was something more then met the eye in this world.

I sighed and wondered what tomorrow would be like. It was certainly going to be interesting. The barracks…I wondered what surprises were in stored for me there. Hopefully not something like today.

To my disliking, my eyes wandered to Cain's and Devak's tent. I wondered how the stupid ass was doing. As much as I hated his ignorance there was just something about him that…made my heart beat a little faster. That made my thoughts drift to things that I never thought possible…

I shook my head. Once again my mind went to him. One so stupid, full of himself, so preppy…and yet…

The sun had set as had my thoughts. I silently walked over to Mo and sat done next to her. The fire crackled with happiness as it burned the wood. The light bounced and played. The mesmerizing dance of the flame and colors eventually put me asleep.

~*~*~

More Notes: Time Line Info, the dates and chapters. I kinda had to space it out a bit more. I mean it's impossible for seven actual people to get to the third quest in four days, right? That where I ended my revision work at chapter 8 and that has some minor day stuff in it as do a few other chapters. Sorry if I'm confusing you. This will play an important part in the next acts. Please feel free to e-mail me your opinions on this. My e-mail is HersheyDogg@hotmail.com . If you have any questions, I can probably answer them.  
  


Time Line:  
Chapter 1: February 28th   
Chapter 2: March 1st 

Chapter 3: March 1st 

Chapter 4: March 8th  

Chapter 5: March 8th 

Chapter 6: March 9th -10th

Chapter 7: March 11th – 12th   
Chapter 8: March 13th – 14th 

Chapter 9: March 15th 

Chapter 10: March 15th – 23rd (Ack! I missed her{Jenny's} B-day! But she was with Dru…I guess it's all right)

Chapter 11: 23rd 

Chapter 12: 24th   
Chapter 13: 24th – 26th   
Chapter 14: 26th   
Chapter 15: 26th   
Chapter 16: 26th (gees…enough chapters for the 26th ?) – 27th 

PS: If ya really want me to(and I mean really), I will fix the other chapters.


	17. Unreal Feelings, Told by Daniel Ale

Chapter 17

By Hdogg (Maury Hime)  
Told by Daniel Ale

Unreal Feelings

Baka Note: All right people. I'm back in action. Here comes…Danny! Are you ready for some action?

Disclaimer: I do not own Diablo Two. Though I wish did since I lost all my characters. ::grumbles:: Damn the limit…All well. Blizzard owns all!  
  
Onward to Victory!

~*~*~

                I parried the strong blow of the axe then thrust with all my might. The tip of my blade skidded off the armor of the Smith. He crackled evilly as he licked the blade of his axe. Blood ran freely down it and he drank every drop of it greedily. The bloody axe came again. This time from above, with killing force behind it. 

I jumped out of the way as one of Stu's spells whizzed over my head. The Teeth struck the beast in both shoulders. The Smith roared out in pain and charged blindly at me. I stepped backwards, gripping my sword tightly. Somehow, I managed to step on a bone that sent my sprawling to the floor.

My sword fell from my hands and slid across the slick floor. I gritted my teeth as the watch the axe fall. Drops of blood fell from it in slow motion. Each one fell onto my all ready stained armor. I heard an incantation being mumbled to my left then a roar from behind.

                "DIE YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Roared Larry charging madly at the demon. He had acquired two long swords along our journey to this forlorn place. One which was a rare. The other which was a superior. He slashed upward at the head of the beast. He also aimed down at the Smith's waist with his other blade. The head blow did not connect but the other blow connected all to well. Just as Larry was striking the Smith, Stu had sent a blaze of pure energy at the monster.

                I pushed myself off my back and picked up my sword again. I looked at the poor thing in my hand. It was beaten, chipped, and stained. It had seen so many battles. Saved me so many times. It was so red. Red with terrible amounts of blood from my enemies. Ones that I killed in cold blood… Was this dreadful massacre ever going to end? 

                I sighed knowing the truth. Never would it end until I reached the finish. This dreadful game had cost me so much. If it was a game…

I looked towards the fallen monster. It cried out in pain and choked on its on blood as it slowly wasted away. The poison from Larry's blade worked its curse. There were so many similarities to the game but still. There was so much more to this world then the eye saw.

                The Smith roared out one last time then its head fell. Still and silent as blood trickled out of its mouth. Never it would bring terror to the world again. I gingerly stepped over the broken bones. Next to the Smith was the hammer Charsi needed. I picked it up and looked at it. It was plain but something moved deep inside it. A power that transferred weapons into a more powerful magic item.

                I sighed and attached it onto my belt. Much use it would give me now. Turning to my comrades, I spoke for the first time since we had arrived into the battle. "Let's go." I turned on my heel as I made for the exit. I almost fell due to the slickness of the ground. I closed my eyes as a memory returned. 

_~_

_                We were hiding in a secret passage behind the wall, watching for a chance to attack. In the room, the Smith had a multitude of human prisoners. Men, women…even children. Before we could even make a move, the Smith unleashed a horror upon the defenseless people. _

                A mix between a dog and a boar attacked them. The men tried to fight them off with torches and sticks. Though it was too much for them. The beast tore them from limb to limb. Blood spattered onto the children. Their innocence was lost forever as they cried out in fear. The Smith sat on a throne of bones through the massacre. Laughing and pointing at the humans fighting for their lives. 

_                I remember wavering as the beast looked up at the women and children. A piece of one man's hand dangled off its large tooth. The fingers still twitched as he chewed on it, watching the women and children. Its cold, hungry eyes watched them darkly with a hunter's grace. It circled them until they had backed up enough into a corner. There they huddled for safety and in fear._

_Without even time to react the beast took charge the situation. With a mighty spring from its legs, it jumped into the air and stuck the closest at reach. Which was a young male child that was no more then eleven.  The boy screamed a curling bloody scream as his vocal cord was ripped from his body._

_                The beast's claws had torn through the boy's neck and upper body. Bits of flesh flew out from carnage as it ripped its claw out. The red lifeline flowed swiftly out of the boy onto the dress of a young woman. With a look of terror and defiance, the woman picked up a rusty blade and charged at the beast._

_                The woman's courage rallied the others to fight. They would not go laying down. Women and children picked up stick, bone, or metal then rushed at the beast. Nothing could stop it though. Not even the combined forces of the women and children. Each one came to a brutal end ad they became a meal for the hungry fiend._

_                My hand tightened into a fist. The other clutched the handle of my blade. I couldn't do a thing. I was trapped between two walls without a way to escape except for the way I came. Tears stung my eyes as I watched the last of the humans be stuck down. "Damn you. Damn you. Damn you." I mumbled into the empty air._

_                Larry said in a cold, hard voice that was unnatural for him. "He will die and feel every pain of these humans murder."_

_                The Necromancer, Stuart, squeezed the life out of a ball of energy that was our light. "Never again. Never again." He stalked off, leading the way with a new light. A darker light of red and swirls of black. One that symbolized rage and death. _

_                I followed the enraged young man. He did not look like the nerd I once knew. Now, he looked like a true necromancer. Dark and powerful in his armor. Mighty with his minions and spells. He was the force behind the hammer that was jammed into the heart. His spiked blonde hair shined darkly as the tunnel darkened even more. It was as if the passageway knew of the upcoming battle and the death that had happened only moments before._

_                Stuart stopped and placed his hand on a slight curve of the wall. "Here is where we get off." He looked to me, then to Larry. "Any last words?"_

_                Larry smirked boldly. "Let your stomach lead you to the food and your might lead you to the victory." They both looked to me._

_                My eyes flashed darkly as I recited, "Darkness does not have the grip when light is near." It was something out of my old book of heroics. Evil would never conquer when goodness was near. Now was the time to the prove the statement right._

_                Stuart nodded. "Onward to Victory!" He shouted blasting open the door and charging into battle._

_~_

                I opened my eyes to the red room once again. That battle was one of the bloodiest I had ever been in. It was such a horrid memory. I reached into my pouch and pulled out a town scroll. It was time to get away from this place. From the carnage…from the blood. With mumble of the spell, the portal opened and I stepped through it.

                I emerged on to the other side in total darkness as my head spun. "Damn it…" I mumbled reaching onto something to steady me. That support just happened to be Mo. "Where'd you come from…" I half growled, half moaned.

                "Oh…I fell asleep but something woke me up…" She wrapped her arm around me and steered me to Miss Akara's tent. "How'd you do?"

                I groaned as I leaned against her. "Fine…" I reached to my belt and pulled out the hammer. "I got the thing." I dropped it to the ground as I fell to my knees. Fatigue had caught up with me. I couldn't lift my head if I wanted to.

                 Mo kneeled down next to me. Softly she brushed her hand across my forehead. "You poor dear…" With carefulness, she pulled me up to my feet. "It's only a few more yards…it'll be alright." 

                I groaned. I hurt terribly. The many bruises on my arms and side hurt like a thousand knives being rammed into me at the same time. The weariness in my legs from running and dodging was like lifting led weights. "Can't I rest a bit…" I mumbled.

                "Not until we reach the tent." She said firmly, steering me into the tent. 

I blinked at the strong brightness. It seemed that thousands of candles were floating in the air all around me. Trying to make me illuminate in the darkness. I rubbed my eyes and mumbled, "Kill that damn light." Immediately, it diminished into a low dim.

Miss Akara appeared from behind a curtain. "I'm sorry young Knight. I was healing your friends in the other room." She picked up a container and dipped one hand into it. The lotion spread without effect from the tips of her fingers to her elbow. "Kills anything that may infect you." She smiled and did the same with the other hand.

Mo perked up a bit. "How advanced are you in medicine?" 

I smiled and looked down at her. She was a little medical wizard and was planning to be one in the future. With carefulness, I raised my hand and ruffled her hair. "Med nut." I wisphered a bit more cheerful then I was before.

The old healer smiled at her. "Not as advanced as I would like to be. Magic can only go so far without the right components." She picked up a green jar. "This for example is used to heal deep gashes in the side. When added with magic, the wound will go away without scar or pain."

Mo looked at the jar curiously. "What is it?"

Miss Akara only smiled. "Some day when you are older maybe I'll teach you."

"Rats." Mo mumbled under her breath. She continued to smile though like she always would.

"Now for you," Miss Akara turned to me. "Time to get you a little healing. Hmm?" She peered at me. "Bruises, scrapes…nothing broken. You should be fine by tomorrow." She frowned and shook her head. "One last quest…"

Mo clutched my arm tightly. Not hurting me, just enough pressure to let me know she was scared. 

I patted her on the head. "Don't worry, squirt. I'll protect you." I wisphered softly into her ear.

She huddled close to me, still supporting my weight. "I know…" I knew what she was thinking. Someone may die. 

_'That scares me too, sweet thing…_' I thought running my hand through her hair. We were so young yet we seemed so old. My arms and legs were littered with scars from battles meant for someone older and with more experience. I looked up to Miss Akara. Her old face was crinkled with lines of merriment. I blushed and looked down at my feet.

Miss Akara gestured to Mo. "This way, young one." 

Mo smiled and nodded. Putting her free hand into mine, she steered me to the recovery room. Once I had reached the empty cot, I sat done and looked around the room. I saw Dru and Jenny sleeping soundly at either side of me. I wondered what they went through.

"Stay cool, Danny." She said softly. With carefulness she ran her hand through my hair. "Still as soft as ever…" 

I caught her hand in mine and held it to my cheek. The warmness from her seemed to melt the ice around me. "The same for you, little one." I looked up at her and smiled tenderly.

She smiled back and gently pulled her hand away. "I'll see you later." With that she left the room. 

I heard a mumbled conversation past the door. As I strained my ears to hear it, my eyes grew heavy. I tried to stay awake as Miss Akara walked through the door holding a tray filled with stuff. I yawned and my eyes shut almost my will. I was asleep before she even reached my bed.

~*~*~

I woke up and blinked. The morning light shone through a window at the opposite end of the room. 

"Awake?" Mo poked me in the side.

I waved away her hand. "Yes, yes…" I yawned and sat up. "What day is it?"

She blinked and looked thoughtful for a moment. "You left on the 27th…I arrived later that night…" She looked really cute when she thought. "Hmm…you were gone for five days…then add today…"

I sighed. "April 2nd…" I looked over to the two empty cots where my friends were the night before. "How're they?"

Mo sighed. "They won't say a thing to anyone about what happened…and they seem to be avoiding each other again." She pulled out a bowl that was covered with a metal sheet. She also held a spoon. "Want some soup? Stu made it…he's getting really good at cooking…" She looked sad. I wondered why…

"Yes, sure." I said, trying to sound cheerful. I took the bowl and the spoon. I cautiously took off the cover and smelled it. "Mmmm…chicken soup…" I dug into it immediately.  Mo sat down next to me and leaned against my shoulder as I ate.

She sighed as she pulled out some jerky and began to munch on it. "What are we going to do about the last quest…" She shuddered. "That little witch has all those poison tricks up her sleeve…and I usually die when I go up against her…what if I die now?" 

I sat down the bowl and looked her. She looked so small at my side. "I'll protect you. So will Larry." I said somewhat bitterly. Larry always moved on my territory when I had things going my way. He'd usually get it too.

"But what if…" I hushed her by placing a finger over her lips.

"Don't think of such things. It won't help us in the long run." I said softly, drawing her closer to me. "I wonder what the ride will be like to the desert town…and how long it will take."

She rested her head against my chest. It was then I noticed I was wearing only a thin shirt and pants. "That guy out there said maybe a year…with all the attacks that are happening with the trade route and all."

I cursed silently under my breath. A year? That would mean it would take forever to get out of this game. "How are we ever going to get out of here…"

"Pure luck." Mo replied sitting up and taking the bowl off the bed. "How well can you walk?"

I tested my legs experimentally. "Why didn't you come to the barracks after you came back here?" I asked the question that nagged at the back of my mind. I leaned against the cot as I stretched my sore legs.

She looked down at the empty bowl. "I…I didn't want to leave them alone." I knew who she was talking about. Dru and Jen. I sighed. More problems to deal with…I was the leader of this group. It was my duty to keep care of things that happened. Maybe Mo should handle them…I looked to her. She looked scared…and lost. 

When she noticed my stare, she blushed and turned away. "Your clothes are under your cot. I cleaned and washed them. Your sword and armor are at Charsi's." She slipped out the door.

I reached under the bed and grabbed my other clothes. I slipped out of the thin shirt and put a heavier one. It seemed tighter then it was before. I looked into the clouded mirror across from me. "Damn…" What I saw reflected what I felt. I saw a darkly tanned young man with muscles that his extra shirt wouldn't hold. I took off my pair of pants and tried on the other pair. Thankfully they still fit okay. I ditched the smaller shirt for the thin one. 

"Humph…black leather pants and a thin, whippy white shirt." I mumbled to myself tucking in the shirt. I pulled it out until it looked like I was out of some history book about the Medieval Era. "Hmm…this isn't bad." The shirt was open down to middle of my chest. To my bad luck, I had no string to keep the loose ends together. "Better then nothing." I shrugged looked around for my boots. 

"Danny! Incoming!" Mo shouted tossing in a pair of black boots and socks. They struck me square in the head.

Face down on the hard packed earth, I groaned. _'That girl has damn good aim when she can't see…'_ I sat up and pulled the boots over to me. With carefulness I put on the thick pair of socks. My feet were the sorest part of my body. Calluses and blisters covered them completely. Next I slipped on the boots and laced them up.

I just sat there for a moment reflecting on the time passed. I had changed, I knew that. I was a moron at the beginning. Probably was a bit still but my leadership skills had improved. _'It's the game…it's making me the way I am…'_ I thought to myself, flexing my arm.

"Danny! Are you ever coming out of there?" Mo shouted. I heard her pacing impatiently.

I laughed. "Yes, I am." I said deeper then usual. I blinked. My was voice was deep to begin with but was it changing even more? I pushed myself off the floor and stumbled out the door. The weariness was still in me. My foot got caught in the curtain then I fell over sideways. Luckily enough Mo was there to help me.

"Tsk. You must be more careful, Danny boy." She helped me up and gently patted me on the stomach. She seemed a bit more light-hearted but still the gloom hung about her.

I stumbled to my feet and looked down at her. "What's wrong?" My mouth babbled out without permission. I averted my eyes as she looked up.

"Umm…" She mumbled not even looking at me. She grabbed my hand and just led me away from the tent. She didn't say anything which was strange for her. Eventually we were at the campfire. Cain and Kashya were standing there talking Dru, Larry, and Aly.

Mo gently let go my hand and walked off in another direction. Almost to the entrance of the camp, she glanced back at me. I smiled reassuringly. She smiled back and disappeared out of the camp. 

I walked into conversation.

"…I don't think we're ready." Larry stated rather intelligently. He actually had a brain! It was amazing.

Aly tightened her grip on her black spear. A dark aura blazed from the tip. "Well, I think we should. We're ready for this! I mean it's only Act 1. How hard can it be?"

Cain looked at Aly. "Act 1?"

She shook her head. "Nevermind."  
                I looked towards the Druid as Larry argued with Aly. He was standing off a little ways, just gazing blankly.

I walked over and shoved him a bit. "What's up?"

He turned me and stared with blank, cold eyes. "What'd you want?" He slightly hissed.

I stumbled back a bit. His eyes were those of a demon. I slipped my hand to where my sword should have been. _'Oh crap. I forgot…'_ My hand went to the unseen knife on my waist and stayed there. "I was wondering what you and Jenny were up to."

He glared. "Why should you care." He stated this rather then asked.

I shrugged. "I'm the leader of this brigade. It's my job to know how my 'soldiers' are doing. Especially with their comrades." I stated with a slight glare.

"This isn't a damn war." He snarled. "This is just some stupid game."

I crossed my arms over my chest. The knife was held securely and secretly. "It is a war and this is our reality now." Damn was I really saying that? "If we don't treat it with the proper respect, we'll get killed. Or worse, our friends will."

Dru stood at his full height. He was still taller then me by a good five inches. "I have no _friends_," He sneered on this word though his eyes said something else. "and this is only a stupid little game." He turned away from me and stalked off in the opposite direction of Mo.

I sighed and let my guard drop. I slid my knife back into its sheath. "I wonder what happened between them…" I just shook my head and went back to the discussion.

"…seven days." Aly grumbled.

Larry nodded. "Yes, seven days. We'll train and learn new skills. That way we will be prepared. We'll have extra equipment and stuff. Then we go and attack."

I intervened before Aly could say anything. "I agree. We're going to wait seven days before we attack."

She glared at me. "Fine." She stalked off to the hot springs.

Larry turned to me. He was frowning. "I don't like this, man. Aly seems a bit…odd. Almost blood thirsty." He shook his head. "And Jen and Dru….they were hitting it off so well. Wondered what happened, ya know?" He stretched his big arms over his head. "I'm going to go and take a nap. Later man." With that he disappeared to where ever for the nap he wished for.

I left staring at Cain and Kashya. "Hmm…so, what's the situation?"

Cain sighed heavily. "It is certain we gave the demon queen Andariel, who has corrupted the rogue sisterhood and defiled their ancestral monastery. This does not bode well for us, my friends." He ran his hand through his thick, white hair. "Ancient Horadric texts record that Andariel and the lesser evils once overthrew the three prime evils – Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal – banishing them from Hell to our world."

"Crap? Really?" I grumbled. "That sucks." The history was interesting though I had heard it all before but from a live person. Well, that was cool. 

Cain just shook his head. "Careful of your tongue, young one." He continued with his speech. "Here on our plain, they caused mankind untold anguish and suffering before they were finally bound within the Soulstones." He looked off towards a cluster of clouds that resembled a dragon. "Andariel's presence here could mean that the forces of Hell are once again aligned behind Diablo and his brothers. If this is true, then I fear for us all. You must kill her before the Monastery becomes a permanent outpost of Hell and the way east is lost forever."

I blinked. "Well, that's heavy work…" I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. Placing both hands on the back of my head, I wandered off. I didn't go anywhere in particular just wandered. I mostly thought though. Most of it was about Mo too. It was odd. I've known her for like forever on the web and have always thought she was cool but now…there was just something about her that made me forget what I was going to say.

I had noticed the same things happening to Larry too. It was all so different from what I'd usually expect. "Hmm…contagious feelings." I mean back in the real world, girls flocked to me like flies. I flirted back and went out with a few…but Mo was different from them. She was actually my friend. You weren't supposed to have feelings for your friends…were you?

I sighed and walked out of the camp. I walked up on a small hill and just sat down. I had nothing to fear thankfully since I had no weapons or armor. 

The wind ruffled my loose shirt and hair to my annoyance. I wandered what I'd look like if I saw myself from afar. I mean I looked a bit Italian and I've seen those guys in this get-up on TV. Just got to wonder sometimes.

My thoughts drifted off in another direction, to the upcoming battle. Dru was out of whack and I didn't even know about Jenny. Aly did seem a little bloodthirsty though she was the rational sort of person. Mo was just Mo thankfully and the same with Larry.

It was a win or lose battle. We had seven days to pull ourselves together and be a team. Though if didn't become that team…I winced thinking about it. The results would be disastrous. Someone would most certainly die…that someone probably being Mo. She would die before she saw anyone else get heart.

"Damn girl…" I mumbled to myself shaking my head. I fell backwards and just looked at the sky. It seemed so real but I knew it wasn't. It was only a game. "Everything is a game…life…love…" I said quietly to myself. "You win or lose, usually always getting hurt in the end." I just sighed again. I seemed to be doing that a lot these days. 

The clouds shifted and swerved. Forming new shapes endlessly. A dragon here, a whale there. A rainbow formed for a moment then was gone the next. The ever moving chain of events. That was the sky was. Beautiful and yet deadly in many ways.

I sighed and closed my eyes. I just listened to everything around me. I heard birds and a wolf's cry. Sounds of the reality I once knew. Sounds that brought back home back in Delaware. If only I could get back…but did I really want this to end?

~*~*~

                What is wrong with the Druid? What happened between him and the Assassin? Will our hero's be ready in only a week to save the world? What does Mo really think about Danny and Larry? Is Aly really bloodthirsty? 

So many questions to be answered! Such a story to tell though only time will tell what will happen to our hero's.

Onward to Victory!  
  
~*~*~

A/n: So…you people like this story? Am I doing good? C'mon! I need to know! So, who should Mo pair up with Danny or Larry?  
Tell whatcha think! If I don't get reviews, I may not get Act 5! Now that'd be a tragedy. 

The Days:  
Chapter 17: March 27th – April 2nd


	18. It Couldn't Be Worse, Told by Jenny Ramo

Chapter 18

By Hdogg

Told by Jenny Ramo

It Couldn't Be Worse

A/n: Sappy getting to adventure chapter. The next chapter or chapter 20 will be the last chapter for the first Act of Diablo Two. Who loves this story? Anyone?

Disclaimer: I do not own Diablo Two. Though I wish did since I lost all my characters. ::grumbles:: Damn the limit…All well. Blizzard owns all!  
  


~*~*~

                Things couldn't have been worse. I was trapped in a world unknown to me excepted through a game. It was a pretty world…when there were no monsters. The food wasn't too terrible but that was beyond the point. 

                He was mad at me.

                I don't even why it bugs me so! I mean he's always been a friend but when I'm around him…I don't know. I'm too young. Least that's what the society says though what do they know. I just didn't know.

                I sighed and sat down on the green, grassy hill. I ran my hand over the blades of greenery. It seemed so real just like the pain, and the words, and everything else in this forsaken world! 

I clutched the grass in my fist as I yanked it out. "Damn it all." I murmured to the air around me. It was stiff, moist, and the hottest it had been for awhile. "I just want to go home."

Someone patted me on the head. "Likewise, Jen girl." Mo mumbled sitting down next to me. "Chocolate?" She held up a Hershey's chocolate bar.

I looked at the piece of my world. "Where…how…"

She shrugged. "I brought a lot of different with me to this world. Including my stash of sweets which I haven't eaten or given to anyone yet." She held it out for me to take.

I shook my head though I longed for the chocolate. "No, it's yours. I can't take it." I pushed the bar away. My fingers brushed the smooth, cool wrapper. They lingered for a moment before I drew them away.

She snorted, "Who ever said you were taking this from me?" She shoved me a bit in the shoulder. "Girl, you need some cheering up. Chocolate always does that." She was smiling slightly though her smile seemed to reach the sky and beyond. It was just a comforting, reassuring thing to see in this world. A bit of happiness that shone.

"Well…I don't know…I mean it is yours." She handed me the candy bar. I looked at it as an idea came to mind. I broke it in half. "I'll only eat this, if you will."

She laughed and shook her head. "You never make anything easy do you Jen?" She took her half and carefully began to unwrap it.

I did the same with my own. It was so cool to the touch. I wondered how Mo kept it from melting all this time. I took a little bit of it. It was so good, almost heavenly. I glanced over at Mo.

She was sitting there nibbling on the chocolate bar, smiling happily. "Hmm?" 

I sighed. "Nothing."

She stopped for a moment. "What's wrong?" She looked at me with her innocent, loving eyes. 

I just sighed and looked to the half-wrapped candy in my hand. "It's about Dru…I don't know what to do anymore…" I looked off towards the camp and saw him standing the entrance. 

Mo glanced over her shoulder. "Oh…" She looked at me and I looked to her for some sort of guidance. "Hmm, what happened? I mean before we saved you two."

I half choked and looked at my hands. "I…well…"

"You weren't doing anything were you?" She questioned me with a slightly hard look.

I felt my face go red and looked her straight in the eyes. "No. We were not." I said firmly, though shaking a little inside. Maybe that was why he was mad…that I wouldn't do anything more then kiss him lightly on the lips. 

            Mo patted me on the head. "Don't worry. He's probably a guy moment." She smiled so reassuringly that I was almost ready to believe here. She winked. "Just like us girls have our moments." I had to laugh. She was so right about some things it was scary. She smiled. "PMS, guy style." I laughed more. It felt good to laugh.

                Mo dragged me up. "Come on!" She ran ahead of me a bit. "Well, come up slow poke. Let's go play basketball!"

                I looked at her like she was nuts. "What are you talking about?"

                She ran back to me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me along back into the camp. "I'll show you." She slipped out under a flap, dragging me along with her. 

                My mouth dropped open. There was a full sized basketball court. Not concert, just hard packed earth but granted! Something from my world! The hops weren't too shabby either. I had bets that Stuart and Dan worked on it. "Is there a basketball?" 

                Mo plucked one up from the ground. "Yup! Made it myself. All animal skin with air." She bounced it. "Works like a charm."

                I laughed and shook my head.  "And when on earth, did you have time to make this?"

                She shrugged. Her green/blue eyes twinkled with her over abundant happiness. "Danny, Stu, and I made time. We thought we all needed a little break from the game." She never referred to this world as a reality, only as a game.

                I watched her as she shot the ball. You could never tell what she was thinking. She was always so silent about things like her thoughts. Sometimes you had to wonder if she thought at all by the way she acted. I have learned though, when she acted stupid or dumb it was only to get you to laugh. She was thoughtful person though sometimes blinded by her thoughts of 'worldly happiness'.

                "Jen!"

                I snapped at my thoughts and looked at her. "Oh, sorry." I half-smiled. "One on one?"

                She snorted. "Naw, you on offense. I wanna play defense." She passed me the ball and positioned herself at half court. I looked at the ball in my hands. It was brown and boring but it acted like a basketball when I began to dribble it. I maneuvered around her pretty easily and set the ball into the hop with an easy lay up. "What? That's all you got?" I smiled, passing her the ball.

                She laughed. "Well, hold on." She pulled off her blue vest. That thing was awesome. It was silver trimmed and went right down to her ankles. Its sleeves were also cut off at her shoulder so it'd give her easy maneuvering room for her arms when she was casting a spell. She worked forever on her vest. Her other outfit, the green one, was one given to her by Akara. She of course tailored it to her fashion. Aly and I had brought our clothes to her and she whipped up into a good fashion for both of us.

                "Mmm, much better." She said stretching her arms. "You know that thing is heavy since I also added chain mail into the fabric."

                "You did?" I asked. I hadn't known that.

                "I did with everyone's outfit. Didn't you notice?" She asked with a smirk.

                That was why my outfit felt so heavy half the time. "Umm…no."

                She shook her head and laughed. Her brown hair caught the sunlight, making it the blonde in her hair shine. "All well. Guess I'm good at concealing things." She snatched up the ball from the ground. "Ready?"

                I smiled. "Anytime." She dribbled two feet then I stole the ball. I laughed and shot, missing. "All well." I shrugged and ran after Mo as she chased the ball.

                "Get back here you silly thing!" She shouted at it. 

                I smiled. We played until Mo smelt food being cooked. She ran off and I followed slowly. I replaced the ball into its little hold where Mo got it from. As I walked slowly to the campfire, I looked about me. The camp seemed more alive then it was at first when we arrived. Ever since we completed the fifth quest, life seemed to be slowly coming back to this camp.

                I stopped a ways from the fire. Dru was there, eating silently and looking right at me. I gulped. He set down his plate, got up, and walked towards me. I stood there, frozen like a deer caught in headlights. He glanced at me and nodded to the entrance of the camp. He continued to walk and I followed. His beautiful brown hair caught the light of the rising moon. I didn't know it had gotten so late.

                He stopped in a meadow of flowers. He kept his back to me as he stared at the rising moon. It was at three-quarters. In another few days it would be full. "Beautiful night, isn't it."

                I stopped behind Dru and sat down on the damp grass. My back was facing him. I looked out towards the camp. "Yeah…" The bonfire blazed in the distance. "I guess…" I looked up. The stars twiddled soundly, unaware of this dismal little world below them.

                "Do you…I don't know…" He started then trailed off. His soft voice carried over the flowers and brought warmth to my cold skin.

                "Do I hate you?" I asked quietly, drawing my knees to my chest and resting my wary head on top of them.

                "Yeah…"

                I sighed. "No…but why are you so distant when I try…" I couldn't finish. I didn't want to finish. What if he didn't have the same feelings I had for him? What if all he wanted was just a friend…not nothing more.

                "When you try to get closer." He wisphered in my ear. The warm breathe sent shivers down my spine as I jumped up in fright. His half-smile lighted his dark features. "Did I scare you, Jen?" He asked putting a hand on my shoulder.

                I shrugged and sat back down. "Maybe." The grass crunched under Dru's weight as he sat next to me. "Are you okay?"

                I felt Dru's troubled eyes watching me. "Even if I don't answer truthfully, you know the answer."

                "Any reason?" I asked softly looking at my hands. They looked so small in the moonlight. Even a little waxy like I hadn't been getting any sun.

                "Many…things I've seen, memories that haunt me…" He took my right hand and started to play with my fingers. "Feelings that elude me…and send me lost looking for the answer." He titled my head and the moon bounced off his eyes. They glittered a deep gold that held endless depths of love. His eyes closed as he leaned closer to me. The moment caught up with me as  his lips pressed against  mine. He drew back and looked into my eyes. I could feel the love burn inside of him.

                My heart jumped into my throat as I clung to his hand. I felt like I was falling. Falling into something that I knew would change how I acted and lived. Falling into something I wanted to get into. I rested my head against his shoulder trying to breathe. _'Think…think…not working…thinking process is down…'_ My thoughts would not come neither would my senses. What was I doing falling in love at the age of fourteen? What I was doing falling in love with someone that was like a brother to me? What was I doing thinking I was in love?

                "Jenny?" Dru shook me. His voice filled with worry. "Jenny, are you all right?" He withdrew his hand from my neck where he was gently massaging it. "Did…did I do something wrong?" His eyes looked like a lost puppy's.

 I buried my head in his chest. I felt his firm muscles tighten then relax again. "Not at all…" I mumbled, sighing. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around my waist. I just relaxed and closed my eyes. The night time sounds filled the silence as he held me. I felt safe and strong. Secure in the arms of someone I loved that loved me back.

In the time that Dru held me, I fell asleep. In my sleep…my mind showed me things I didn't want to see.

~

I blinked as I looked around. Torches drove the darkness away from this cavern of blood. I shuddered as a drop of crimson liquid dripped onto my arm. The walls bled the blood of those that had come before us and had failed to slay the evil. I looked to my friends. Aly and Devak were up front with Stuart, Danny, and Larry in the middle. They looked different…like they were older. Dru was standing by my side. 

_                "This is the end…" He wisphered, clasping my hand tightly. I looked down. His hands were older and scarred horribly. I wondered why. "We're almost home." Home? But we were barely through the first Act…how could we almost home?_

_                But then my thoughts were drowned when my heart leapt. Home. My mom. I looked to Dru. Would things change after we made it back? I made a fist with my left hand. Something cold touched my palm. I glanced down and saw a thin gold band with small diamonds encircling it. It was on my ring figure. '_What…' _I had no time to ponder its meaning when we walked into a room that was more gruesome then all of the rest of this horrible game. The carnage of the battles that were fought long ago still left marks across the walls and floors. Skulls, armor, weapons. All it of lay around a dark, ominous portal. It made of throne of death and welcomed all that dared to challenge it…and die._

_                In the  portal a blurred beast guarded it with sharp cries and whipping of its tentacles. The beast vaguely reminded me of something I had seen long ago. I blinked as I tried to remember where I had seen it. I couldn't even remember what my computer looked like or the site that it was on. This game was slipping my mind away from me! The blurred  beast snapped a long tentacle at me. It flicked past my face as I sliced it with my…I looked at my weapons as acid dropped off them. How could I have a scissors katar? _

_                Something wrapped around my leg. I looked down and saw a tentacle before the pain  sent red into my sight. Acid seeped through my leggings and burned in my blood. My heart beat faster trying to rid itself of the poison. I fell as the tentacle burned through my armor and drug me to the portal.   
                "DRU!"  
                I couldn't even hear myself shout. A deafening roar blocked out everything. All I could feel was the pain seeping into my body and destroying my power. I tried to turn around and slash off the tentacle but more had wrapped around me. I could do nothing but scream.  
                "DRUUUUU!"  
                ~  
_                "Jen!"

I screamed and sat up. My leg burned with memory from the nightmare. I rubbed it shakily as I tired to forget what I had seen.

Dru smoothed my hair and hugged my tightly. "Shh, it's okay." I leaned into his embrace and let him comfort me as best he could.

I shuddered as I saw the beast clearly now. It was the clone of Baal. I did not want to think of what lay ahead of us.

 Dru titled my head and looked into my eyes. "What'd you see?"

I blinked as the image started to fade with the raising sun. "Red...blood red and blackness…pitch except for torches…the a blurred monster." I stammered watching the sun raise over Dru's ear. I giggled. It was rather comical. It a flame or a firefly rested on his ear as it slowly grew, swallowing his head. I looked into his eyes and giggled again. _'He must think I am insane now.'_

Dru chuckled and shook his head as he looked over his shoulder. "Looking to the sunrise for answers instead of me, eh?" He smiled mischievously.

_'What is up to…'_ I wondered. This was oddly different.

His hands to seemed to spring from nowhere as he started to tickle my sides. "Gonna say uncle?"

I giggled as he swooped me up in his strong arms, still tickling me. This was the side that was so hard to find. Maybe…just maybe, he would let me in.   
                "Uncle?" He asked again, tickled my feet. Somehow, my shoes and socks had disappeared. He went to my sides again. I continued to laugh harder. Tears started to run down my cheeks. "C'mon, you gotta say it sooner or later." He was wrong. I didn't have to say it. At that moment, Mo came running over the hill, shouting at us.

"Come on you lazy bags of bones! We're leaving!" She bounced along the trail, doing a flip in the air eventually. "Weee! Tis a splendid day! A wonderful day to vanquish evil and gain one more foothold on the way home!" She flicked her back length hair over her shoulder. "I'm so happy! Oh so happy!" She started to dance.

Dru snorted. 

I elbowed him in the gut. "Mo…did someone give you…sugar again?" I questioned watching the bouncing nutcase that I called friend.

"Of course! Stuart found a good ol' bag of it!!" She bounced over and sat down next to me. "Come on! Tis time to fit Andy and the evil minion peoples!" She tugged on my arm, trying to detach me from Dru. Unfortunately, she was taking my arm instead of all of me.

Dru laughed. "C'mon, let's go." He wisphered in my ear. He lifted me, grabbed my shoes and socks, and walked briskly towards camp. I rested my head under his chin. Mo bounced along Dru's side chattering like a parrot. She looked like a hobbit from this height.

I giggled. I was so on a 'happy high' as the 'hobbit' said. My dream meant nothing it was just my nerves working into my system. I snuggled into Dru's arms. Mo was right. One more footstep to secure our way home. This was only Act One how could anything bad happen?

Dru sat me down on a log by the fire and handed me my boots(not shoes, what was I thinking?) and my socks. "I'll be back in a moment." He picked up his armor and proceeded to the 'changing room' as we dubbed the makeshift hovel of a thing. After he came back, I took my own armor and war clothing and change.

I set my extra pair of clothes on the bench. I would tend to them when I came back. I fit on my gauntlets and put on two little katars. They seemed small and inefficient as opposed to the scissors katar I had in my dream. 

I shook my head. "I am not going to think about that…" I grumbled marching out of the tent. I snatched up my helm from the ground and put it on. I smiled as I looked at my reflection in a make-shift mirror. I had gotten bored and burned arcane figures into my helm from no reason. I knew they meant healing and protection and that was about as far as my knowledge went. For the heck of it, I did a back flip with a high kick in the air. 

"Someone seems ready to beat up evil." Aly mumbled while she twirled her spear. "Hehehehe. I am going to have tonight."

Mo pole vaulted over a stack of logs with her staff. "Weeee! Here I come for a little fun! No one can beat the insanity mistress that is the Baka!" She bounced along with a giddy glee as she pounced on Larry's back. "Boo!"

Larry snorted and reached behind him. He grabbed Mo by the waist and flipped her upside down. "What you going to do?" 

Danny laughed, shaking some of his brown hair away from his face. "Careful man. She has a fiery temper." Mo proved him right as she yelled, 'Fireball!' and scorched Larry in the behind.

"Yoooow!!" Larry screeched dropping Mo on her head.

Stuart shook his head. "Yet 'nother dose of brain damage for Mo. Poor girl."

She just bounced right back up and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Onward to Victory! We the champions that come from the heavens shall vanquish all evil!" She yelled twirling her staff high above her head. It made a whistling sound that reminded of the Kender from Dragonlance.

Larry and Dan roared in agreement while Dru nodded. Stuart shook his head as he continued to pack our medical kit. Aly just laughed as she struck her spear on a rock.

                Dan held up his hands for silence. We all complied. "Now…We have the waypoint to get into the second level of the catacombs." He pulled out a rough made map. "I used my knowledge, Larry's, and Stuart's to draw this. We need to avoid these hotspots," he pointed to different rooms on the map, "that have always contained monsters. We're going to spilt into three groups. Larry, Stuart, and Aly will be in one group. Mo and I another and Dru and Jen in the last one." He looked at us for agreement. Most of us nodded. "Okay, good. Stuart will send two skeleton mages with the other two groups he's not in. They'll add protection and carry medical supplies. They will rely messages to Stuart who will tell everyone what to do." He looked at us. "Be careful." He looked to Mo practically, "We don't want to lose anyone."

                Dru gripped my hand tightly as he avoided my katars. 

                "It's time." Dan said quietly as he rose. "I'll send a town portal so we all don't have to use the waypoint." We nodded. None of us liked that thing. It was like a jerky roller coaster ride compared to the smooth ride of the town portal. A moment later he was gone and a town portal had arrived. Everyone went in but Dru and me.

                Dru hugged me tightly as I set my head on his chest. Through his armor I could hear his steady heartbeat. "Be careful…stay in one piece." He whispered softly in my ear. I looked up into his eyes as he leaned towards me.

                Devak snorted behind us. "Hurry up love birds. I have to shut the portal and get down there too."

                I jerked away from Dru and looked at him. "You're coming?" I asked the tall, dark haired young man.

                He laughed. "Well, duh. I am the smartest, strongest,"

                "Most conceited" Dru added softly.

                Devak glared at him, "And talented magi here. Now if you two would go through the portal I would like to close it and get down there." The wind started to pick up. I looked to the sky. It was clear but now darkness started to cover the land.

                Miss Akara wandered past to talk to Cain muttering, "And the heroes will enter the clutches of death and despair as they make their way to victory."

                Devak frowned as he rubbed his forehead. Once Akara had pasted he mumbled to himself, "The prophecies will come true…" He looked at us with a glare. "Get going!"  
                "Moron." I grumbled pulling Dru with me into the portal. This ride was different from all the others I had been through. It felt like I was being pulled in different directions. Some of the times it felt like I had lost an arm or a leg or sometimes my head. It hurt like nothing else I've felt and it wouldn't stop! Then  Dru's hand was jerked from mine as I landed in a dimly lit room. My head slammed against the cold, hard floor and a voice filled my ears.

                "Death will come when all seven become none." An acidic voice wisphered close to my ear. I could smell the acid dripping onto the ground from somewhere above me.

                Purple and green dots danced in front of my eyes. I couldn't tell if it was from me or something from the sky. Whatever it was I didn't find out. My head hit the ground as I lost all memories of reality. The nightmare would never end.

~*~*~  
  
The first of the seven has fallen into the clutches of a power of the darkness. Where has Jenny the Assassin gone? Did Dru make it through the portal all right? Why is Devak being a jerk? Time will tell in this tale of love, adventure, and humor.

Onward to Victory!  
  
~*~*~

  
A/n: It's time for some of the Twiddlements of the Baka! You just got to love them. Remember that book that Stuart found? There's going to be a lot of references to that. Two more chapters!! Then we are going to get to Act Two! I gotta think of a title for that. Are you liking this story?? Do you like it enough to send me suggestions? I like ideas that I can play off of. ^_^ Hope ya all like!  
  
The Days:  
Chapter 18: April 3rd-4th 


	19. The Ending Chapter, Told by Dru Berry

**Chapter 19  
By Hdogg  
_Told by Dru Berry_  
The Ending Chapter**

A/n: I'm baaaack! Miss me? Let's write!! WOOOO!  
Thanks to Drowning Pool for their song 'Bodies'. WOOT.   
Onward to Victory!

I grunted as I swung my heavy axe. It was new, it was big, and it was deadly. I loved it. It craved through the little demon imps in moments. They're acidic blood splashed off my armor and dribbled down the cracks. They dared to take Jenny away from me. For that, they must all be destroyed!  
I felt an evil crackle well up in me as I hacked, slashed, and carved my way through these beasts. I'd show them who was boss!  
I hacked the beasts to death until there was nothing more I could kill. I stood there, foaming at the mouth, as I looked around wildly for more to kill. They took Jenny away. I wouldn't stand for this. Bodies of all creatures that infested this catacomb lay at my feet. They're bones would make me a nice shield if I ever got around to it. I would rule these creatures but only after I had Jenny safe and by my side.  
I would win! I would rule! Nothing would stop me from finding the only person that meant anything to me! I would be the one!  
I laughed as I fell to my knees. Tears trickled down my face as I stared ahead of me into the darkness.  
From behind voiced muttered out of the dark silence…  
"Poor Dru…" A voice sniffled. "I hope Jenny's okay…for his sake."  
Another voice, this one gruffer and with a commanding tone, said, "We'll save them both, don't worry. This nightmare is almost over…"  
A strong, but kind voice ended the conversation with, "But another will only begin…"  
I blink as I bent over. My stomach hurt. I looked down and saw a red gash. It wasn't deep, just there. It was in between the spot where my breastplate ended and where my belt began. My only true vulnerable spot.  
"Dru…" Mo knelt in front in me and poked me in the forehead. "Let me or Dan help you. We need to continue moving…only one more level and we're there."  
I blinked. Whoa…did I have a headache. I swayed in my spot but Mo steadied me. She gently hushed my fears away as her soft, steady hands worked their magic over my body. I quietly clung to the small girl as she pulled me up to my feet. Another, who was it, wiped away my tears from my face.  
Mo ripped the seal off a small bottle and gently touched it to my lips. I hungrily drank the elixir. It smoothed my hot throat and renewed my strength.  
Wobbling on my feet, I still clung to the small girl. She was a friend. She cared for me…how could this be? Tears filled my eyes as I remembered how I had met this girl. It was through my Jenny. My angel. I half growled as words slipped off my tongue. My claws itched for the blood that stole her! I would destroy them all!  
"DRU!" A strong voice commanded. It was the one that had wiped away my tears from before. He slapped me in the face and grabbed my hands. I blinked. Claws, they were claws again. I looked into the stranger's face. I knew him…who was he…  
He stood firmly between me and Mo. He didn't let go of my arm as he watched me carefully. He was a head shorter then me but his power was immense. I watched his shaggy brown hair start to lift in the slight breeze created by his aura. A soft, blue mist covered my body as it flowed from his hands.  
I let my breathe out. I hadn't known I was holding it. I felt…relaxed. I looked around my surroundings as my reality came back to me. It was a dark and dingy place. Moss covered the walls, leaving no room for a handhold to climb up. I watched as the walls shifted into the darkness above me. I knew not what lay up there and I wasn't in mood to find out.  
I looked down. I saw the dark, acidic puddle of blood that leaked soundly from an imp's headless corpse. I felt its blood seeping through my metal-plated boots. Its sharp burn could be felt all through my body.  
I shuddered as the smell finally hit me. It was rancid and musty. I gagged and sagged against…Daniel. Daniel was his name. I looked down from my slumped position at Mo. My breath caught in my throat.  
Though not shown in her gentle eyes, the skin and muscles of her left arm hung limply off it. Its use was little to none for her. She took no notice though as she busied herself. Working with a trained ease, she slowly conjured her magic. A soft green slow flowed over her body and glowed darkest over the limp arm. Slowly, the muscles pulled back to the bones and the skin resealed itself. Three faint lines blemished her soft skin. She looked up at me and her eyes only showed the kindness of her heart. Not a trance of hate or anger lanced her pale face.  
"Are you all right, Dru?" She asked kindly. She pulled herself to her feet and tenderly reached for me.  
I jerked away from her and Daniel. I backed into the wall as fear crept into my mind. It paralyzed me as I clung hopelessly to the slick wall. I looked down at my hands. My hands dripped with her blood! I hurt my only friends!  
I fell to my knees and buried my head into my hands. Sobs choked me and my tears flowed without shame. I had become a monster! A monster that should not be alive…a monster that should not love.  
A strong arm circled around my shoulders as a head lay against my shoulder. "Shh, it's all right Dru. No harm was done. It's all right." She rocked me gently. I clung her like a newborn, afraid to let go. Afraid that I would become the monster again.  
A soft whisper filled my ears. I looked around. "Did you hear that?"  
Mo looked at me, puzzled. "No…" She closed her eyes in concentration. She shook her head. "No…" She picked up the hand that had her blood on it and kindly pulled me to my feet. She slipped her small hand into mine and led me back to Daniel.  
He stood nonchalantly with his hand on the hilt of his sword. His dark eyes watched me steadily. "Are you all right?" His voice was gruffer then normal and sounded forced.  
I drew myself up to my full height as I towered over him. "Yes." I still had not let go of Mo's hand. I looked down at her. She was so young…and so small. I could not believe that small thing held such compassion as she did.  
Again, I heard the whisper. It was so soft…so untraceable that I almost missed it. I shook my head as to get rid of it. "Dru…" My eyes and hand snapped fully upright. It was Jenny!  
Mo noticed right away what it was. "Take us to her!"  
I gripped her hand tightly and walked at a fast pace. We traveled steadily and far. We moved from corridor to smaller rooms, defeating anything that stood in our way. Whenever we fought Mo was always by my side, protecting me if she could. She used her magic wisely as she defeated the endless amounts of demons. After the battles, she would heal my wounds and quietly slip her hand back into mine. Her presence…helped keep me sane.  
In all of the battles, I hadn't used my Druidic abilities to shape shift. I was afraid if I became the wolf again that I wouldn't be able to control myself…and that I may kill my friends. I shuddered. I refused to let myself hurt the people that cared for me!  
We winded in and out of rooms and halls. We seemed to travel forever but we never got anywhere.  
Mo stopped outside of a small doorway. "I know those voices…Yoodle-le-yeewhoo!" She called out into the darkness.  
"You dork!" A voice shouted from the shadows. Aly jumped out and glomped Mo. "You silly Baka, you trying to get yourself killed?"  
Larry lumbered past the two girls and slapped Daniel in the shoulder. "What's up, man?"  
I crept into the shadows and watch them be reunited. I felt like I didn't belong there…I never did. I know Mo was looking for me when my presence escaped her but I stayed in my shadows. I did not belong among the innocence, among the happiness. My nature…was not a light one. I was a hardened criminal of a gang from the streets. My life was nothing but pain and that was the way it was meant to be.  
A voice sneaked into my mind, _'…if you are only meant to feel pain, then why do you love her so much?'  
_ I replied, _'It is pain to love…I have lost her!'_ My face contracted as I sunk to my knees. My hope began to flee from me as my face fell into my rocks. I rocked back and forth on the ground, silently crying wishing for the pain to end.  
The voices of the group faded away until I surrounded by darkness. A deep, endless darkness. A small shape, dark on dark, began to form. First I say the glistening of metal then slowly she began to form. Her face was hardened but her eyes shown with kindness towards me.  
"Dear friend…she is near. I can feel her as you do." Her hand brushed along my cheek. "Have faith. There will be light again." With that, she gently placed her lips on my forehead and a cool breeze swept me to my feet. My vision cleared and I could see them all again.  
All but Mo had all ready traveled down a long worn stairs. "Come, it is time." She whispered as she walked to the steps. As she looked back at me, I could feel my feet taking me to her. The coolness still swept all around me.  
She disappeared into the shadows and I followed, shaking with each step. I could smell it. The rancid, dark smell of Death. It clung to the walls, to my clothes, to everything within its reach. I shuddered as I repressed the urge to vomit. Now was not the time of such pleasures.  
Metal clanged against rotting flesh. Hollow screams bounced off the walls. Shouts of incantations traveled to my ears. I stopped at the last step. I felt…afraid. Afraid I would hurt my friend. Afraid I would lose my life. But most of all, afraid that I would lose _her_.  
With one last deep breath, I charged.  
Swinging my deadly axe, I cleaved through armies of fallen and dead archers. Some had vaguely human faces but the puss and mold discolored anything more then once white teeth. I swung until it felt like my arms would break. Nothing stood in my way! Walls of fire and poison erupted in front of me, only to be knocked away by an aura from Dan.  
Mo skid to a halt in front of me, fleeing from a particularly large beast. She ducked under my legs and slid into the wall. There she collapsed and prepared a spell of ice. The air chilled as the beast charged at both her and me.  
"SIKE!" She shouted above the roar of the flames and dying demons. A burst of white frost spread from her outstretched fingers and flew into the beast. It looked dumbly at the spot where it was hit as a small, but suddenly stream of ice began to cover it.  
With a swing of my axe, I hit the icicled brute. As my axe sliced through it, the ice burst into needle thin shreds that melted as they bounced off my armor. Glancing at Mo, I asked, "All right?"  
Mo nodded and smiled. "A little whipped here and there but I am as fit as a fiddle!" And as an after thought, "and about as hungry as a hippo." With that, she proceeded to pop bite-sized pieces of bread into her mouth. She smiled and literally skipper off to tackle Daniel.  
I looked in front of me at a large, gem-encrusted door. It creaked now and then as if something was leaning against the door. I slowly took a step towards it, reaching out with my scarred hand. I wanted to pull the iron ring that hung from the bull's nose. As I looked closer, I saw it wasn't a bull but a faint image of Diablo. Ignoring all intuition that I possessed, I stroked the ring and traced it lightly my finger.  
_Let the bodies hit the floor!_  
Grabbing the iron ring, I pulled with all my might. The door swung open with colossal speed! I was thrown against the wall as an acidic voice whispered, "Freedom!" I shivered as a chord in that voice hit a space of familiarly.  
_Let the bodies hit the floor!  
_ I looked up and into the doorway. Green smoke seeped from the door like tentacles. Out of the green rimmed emerge a spidery appendage. "I knew you'd come." The voice whispered dryly. A hand appeared on the side of the other half of the door. "Fools in love can never let you down."  
_Let the bodies hit the floor!  
_ Then rising from the smoke came a half-naked, rotting body of a woman. Once beautiful with long red hair, she had turned into little more then an image of her former self. Andariel slid fully into the light of the chamber that contained us. With a flick of her hand, all the doors flew shut. We were trapped. Trapped like mice.  
_Let the bodies hit the floor!  
_ Andariel smiled sickly. Her light blue lips curled hideously as she watched me. "You can have this back." She threw a ragged, black figure near me. With a sickening thud, the figure landed next me. I swallowed as I recognized the leathers and the katars. Hesitantly, I flipped the body over.  
_Beaten why for can't much anymore!  
_ A wave of relief but a wave of pure hatred spread through me. With a sob of joy, I flung myself over Jenny and hugged her for all I was worth. Only, she felt so cold and limb. I looked down and panicked. She was turning blue and a small stream of green cloud was spreading from her lips!  
"What…what have you done to her?!" I shouted jumping to me feet.  
_One---nothing's wrong with me!  
_ Andariel laughed darkly. "She is becoming more powerful then she could ever dreamed. She gave her soul to me so that you…" She looked at me through deep blue eyelashes. Her green eyes rushed over me, "could be saved."  
A cold sweat broke out all over me. I could hear Mo in the background, somewhere next me. Aly was in my line of version figuring her spear with a look of utter surprise. Dan and Larry were gripping their swords and circling Andariel. Only Stuart stood stock-still. His wand hanged limply at his side as his skeletons circled him.  
_Two---nothing's wrong with me!  
_ The room started to spin as Andariel continued to laugh. I could see Mo trying to help Jenny. Dan and Larry attacking then Aly joining in. I saw Stuart commanding his troops and everything else. I watched as my friends were thrown one by one into the walls. Andariel's long stringer pierced Dan as Larry was stabbed with his own sword that the monster had stolen from him. All of Stuart's skeletons were broken and the dark cloud poisoned him. Only Aly stood still between Andariel and me.  
_Three---nothing's wrong with me!  
_ Even when Aly was thrown into Mo and both collided into the wall, I could do nothing but stand there. I sank to my knees and watched as Andariel walked to me. A slow, suddenly stalk as she bent down to pick me up. Her long stingers gripped me in a powerful embrace as she dragged me up into the air. I felt drained. My fighting spirit had seemed slip away from me. She couldn't be dead…not my Jenny…  
"Will you join me too, lover boy?" Andariel sneered in my face. "To be with your pretty?" Her acidic breath made me dizzy.  
_One---Something's got to give!  
_ As I looked into her scarred face, I saw into her eyes. I saw into her soul!  
_Two---Something's got to give!  
_ As I looked, before me appeared all the many she had slain. Their bodies fell as their spirits rose as her minions. Nothing could escape her. Though, as I looked into her, I saw a familiar face. I tried to reach and touch her but my body twisted with pain. The poison was dripping onto my skin and burning away my armor. As the poison peeled away my skin, it started to flow through my veins. I could fill myself changing. I screamed as Andariel dipped her lips onto mine. I shuddered as Andariel breathed into me. I felt cold…and unfeeling. With a last breath through my red eyes, I thought saw Jenny…  
_Three---Something's got to give!  
_ My whole world was suddenly filled with blackness. And there I saw Jenny. She was alight with her own aura as she walked towards me. "Dru…help your friends. Don't give up." She walked up to me until her face was barely inches away from mine. "Help my friends, they need you. I'll be all right…if you save them." She whispered. She slid her hand through my hair and kissed my swollen eyes. "Don't give up yet…we still have many adventures to go on." I blinked and the darkness surrounded me…  
I struggled against it. I twisted this way and that to loosen its grip. With a roar, I felt myself falling. With a heavy thud, I opened my eyes to see Andariel backing away from me. Her arm was completely severed. I looked down at my hands…but they weren't there. What I saw was a tan claw. I blinked and looked up. A wolfish grin spread over my mouth.  
_Now, let the bodies hit the floor!_  
I bent down low on my strong back legs and sprung. I leaped high into the air and crashed down on top of Andariel. I slashed my right paw across her chest as I buried my muzzle into her throat.  
_Push me again!  
_ Andariel ripped me off of her and threw me against the wall. I twisted in the air and jumped back off towards her. I sank my teeth into her face as I clawed at her heart. I ripped and torn her as I tightened my grip on her face. _  
This is the end!  
_ She howled in pain and I felt a spear hit me in the side. I yelped and let go. Dropping to the floor, I scrambled beneath her feet and behind her. I looked out from between Andariel's and saw Aly grinning before she fell to the floor.  
_Skin against Skin, Bone against Bone_!  
I attacked from behind ripping the sinew that held Andariel's knees. She stumbled and fell and I launched an attack on her spine. With a swipe of my large claws, I severed a good portion of her skin away from her. The blue shreds turned into green acidic gas as Andariel howled. The noise pierced my sensitive ears and caused me to stumble. I whimpered as I shook my head to free me of the sound.  
_You're all by yourself but you're not alone!  
_ Andariel turned and hit me across my chest. I was thrown into the wall and heard several things crack. As I slid down, I saw Dan, supporting Mo, casting a duel spell. The holybolt/firebolt hit Andariel in the face and left shoulder. Charred flesh fell from a skull of black bone. Her face was no more then a skeleton of what she had once been, a human. Another howl from her churned my insides.  
_You wanted in now you're here_!  
Dan and Mo fell to the ground in a crumbled heap. They clung to each other and looked at me desperately. I could see from the corner of my eye, Larry standing up and holding a huge bastard sword. The berserker blood inside of him burned fiercely in his eyes. "RAAWWWRR!" He shouted lunging at Andariel. His sword slid deep into her abdomen and slid upwards. He carved her into two halves. A last, final piercing scream resounded throughout the chamber.   
_Driven by hate consumed by fear!  
_ Andariel's body erupted into flame that shot through the ceiling. The force of the blast shook the room and the ceiling started to fall. Then the flames spread widely and struck the walls of the chamber. Rock flew everywhere, threatening to strike at any moment! I threw myself over Jenny and felt a strong force cover me. I looked up and saw Mo standing in the middle of the room, her eyes a piercing blue, holding her hands to the sky and summoning a powerful shield over us all. _  
Let the bodies hit the floor…  
_ I looked down at Jenny. She looked so peaceful. Her black hair had gently fallen across her face and she seemed to be asleep. I looked closer. Something was different! My eyes widened in surprise as my jaw dropped open. Her body was starting to glow a fierce green! The blue tint faded from her as the flames began to die. I blinked and looked at her again. Only her lips had a slight blue tinge and her black hair shimmered with blue highlights.  
"Jenny?" I asked softly, leaning close to her.  
Her eyes fluttered open. "I knew you could do it…" She leaned up and placed her tender lips on mine. All I could do was smile and sweep her into my arms! She was alive! My angel was alive!  
I kissed her back for all I was worth. I could feel a warm light on my neck. I broke off gently from my happy embrace and looked up. Bright, golden sunlight poured into the room and shone on Jenny and me.  
She just smiled up at me with her eyes half closed. "A perfect day for a new adventure…"  
I just laughed as tears ran down my face. We were alive! I laughed again and hugged Jenny. Nothing could spoil this day, this triumph! I stumbled up and swept Jenny into my arms.  
Now standing, I could finally see the damaged that was done. Larry, was leaning heavily on his sword drinking what seemed like gallons of the red potion while Dan was leaning against him, smiling happily. Mo was helped Stuart with an antidote as Aly picked up random trinkets here and there. We were all alive!  
I stepped over the bodies and pulled out a town portal. I mumbled the incantation and threw the parchment into the air. The shimmering door beckoned me into it. "Come all…let's go home." I said weakly. Mo was the first to jump in, followed by Stuart and Aly.  
Larry, dragging Dan by the waist, smiled and said, "See you there!" He jumped into the portal headfirst with a whooping shout.   
I smiled down at Jenny and took one last look around. Bodies were spread all over the floor. Some old, some new, some monster, and some human. I sighed as the fire nicked my boots. The fire would consume all that was ever here, marking it a place of death and destruction and thus it would always be. With no more regrets, I jumped into the portal, with a smile on my face.  
We were alive. Onward to victory!! 

A/n: HA! HA HA HA! I finished Act 1!! Thank you GOD! So…it may kinda suck, may be kinda corny but I tried! I tried for good damn six hours to rewrite this, prefect it, and make it well! You better like it! Hehehe.  
Stay tuned for Act 2! WOOT!  
Btw, there will be an Epilogue for this, hehe.__


	20. TRULY the Ending Chapter

The Epilogue – Another Fine Adventure

By Hdogg  
Told by Omnipresent God-like Person Thing

A/n: So I've been presently threatened by a fan -cough- kitty-hime1 -cough- that if I don't write this I'll be annoyed by her. Well! If she can out annoy me, I'll gladly write her anything.  
But anywho, this is just my filler chapter in between stories thing. Wee!  
Enjoy!

Onward to cookies! --- erm, I mean VICTORY!

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Mo shook the hands of Lady Akara. "I'm sure we'll be all right! I mean, we're not dead yet."

Lady Akara shook her head. Her old eyes watching the interesting young girl as she said. "May the Great Eye see you through without troubles on your journey to the desert." She reached into her tent and handed the young sorceress a crystal staff with a single sapphire set into the wood. "Take this and use it well."

Mo smiled as she took the staff. She could feel a deep strength in it that yearned to be let free. She felt very cold. "It's an ice staff, huh?"

"Mhm." The old healer smiled as she watched the girl bounced off to be with her friends.

Similar gifts were given to each warrior for their journey. The paladin received a ruby encrusted specter that glittered darkly in his hands. The barbarian received a new set of armor that actually fit his rapidly growing body. The amazon received a lance and a long bow. She was having too much fun with her lance, testing her skills at it as she aimed for Stuart. The poor necromancer, who was currently being tortured, had received several new books and a new yew wand since he broke his last one by sitting on it. The druid had received a hawk's helm and a set of armor that changed with him, as he became a werewolf. The assassin had received a beautiful set of rings and an amulet to farther help her healing powers and a fun new set of claws that she enjoyed a little to thoroughly.

"Hey Stuart! C'mere! I wanna test these on you!"

"What do you mean by…test?" He asked wearily.

She smiled wickedly. "Perhaps…a little castration?"

"….oh shit!" The necromancer ran like hell as both the assassin and the amazon played with their skills.

Mo smiled and laughed. "Hey! Hey, you two! Leave him alone!" She waved her arms and chased after the three.

The last three, Dan, Dru, and Larry, just watched with amusement. "I wish I could be chased by three hot girls." Larry murmured.

"Would they have weapons?" Dan asked, nudging his friend in the side.

"They would have nothing!"

Dru raised an eyebrow. "No clothes?"

"No clothes."

All the men became star struck with the notion. Men will be men when given a chance and these three were proving it.

Meanwhile, Akara stood next to Warriv. They both watched in amusement as the group of warriors finally started to settle down and pack up. "They're growing up…fast…but I wonder if it will help them." Warriv said. "They're only kids but they look and act like adults. Hmm, why have they been put through this?"

Akara smiled wearily and looked to the sky. "The Great Eye watches over all and he will protect them. He brought them here to escape their own world and to bring fulfillment to their otherwise broken lives." She rubbed her gnarled hands together. "Just as you said, they are children but even children have to grow up someday."

"Then they are destined for greatness." Warriv muttered mostly to himself. The two watched the group of warrior children tease and taunt each other. They did know what would next but they felt prepared. They had played the game before and they had all beaten it numerous times. How hard could it be?

But what if they game didn't play by the rules that they knew? Just because you think you know something doesn't mean it won't change.

Warriv packed the warriors carefully into his caravan. He put the paladin and barbarian in the back as rear guards. The amazon and the sorceress were in the middle with projectile weapons to attack with and the rest were all up front with Warriv.

The caravan owner sighed. The East held plenty of new dangers but it was getting there would prove how brave these seven were. "Bright Eyes," he prayed softly, "watch over these children and keep them safe. They do not know what danger they proceed in…protect them and give them wisdom." He lowered his head and snapped his whip. The caravan started its slow move to the East.

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A/n: Ha, there. One Epilogue. I can't promise that I'll actually write anymore of this…cause I don't know who reads it and who likes or anything. So, if you want more…give me some more time and I'll plan out something that I hope you like.  
Peace and Love!

Onward to Victory!


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